Julie Murphy’s Dumplin’ is a current day novel set in tiny Clover City, Texas, home of the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet Pageant. Overweight Willowdean “Dumplin’” Dickson goes from chubby yet confident 16-year old girl overshadowed by her pageant-winning mother to an emblem of body positivity in this coming of age, feminist-thinking narrative. Willowdean and her friends navigate their turbulent junior year as Dumplin’ tackles themes such as loss, sexuality, and making peace with who you are.
