Murphy, Julie. Dumplin’. 2015. 375p. Balzer and Bray, $17.99 (978-0062327185). Gr.9+.
Willowdean, who proclaims herself “the resident fat girl’, has always been self-assured, even in a town obsessed with beauty. But Willowdean finds that her self-esteem starts to diminish following her aunt’s death, building tensions in her relationships with her mom and best friend, and a secret affair with her crush, Private School Bo. Attempting to bring back her old feelings of confidence and strength, she enters the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Beauty Pageant to show that everyone deserves to shine.
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