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A review by chuskeyreads
Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
5.0
I love this book so much! The characters, the Southernisms, Dolly Parton fandom - it's the complete package. Many times I found myself smiling and raucously laughing to the point of garnering some strange looks from people nearby.
They serve us barbecue. I think that maybe lunch is some secret component of our final score because there is no higher achievement for a southern woman than the ability to eat barbecue and walk way stain free.<\i>
Willowdean is a snarky, self-proclaimed fat girl, and proud of it, until she meets Bo, a hunky, private-schooled jock who has a thing for cherry suckers and, possibly, Willowdean. She's been teased before, but it doesn't seem to bother her until Bo.
The reality is that even the most confident of folks have self-doubt. While the message is a good one -
Fat. Skinny. Short. Tall. It doesn’t matter.<\i>
Sometimes, it does matter to those who feel less than perfect. It's up to us to realize that our appearance isn't our only defining quality. Even though Willowdean is comfortable with her own body image, she is still compelled to 'rescue' others from being ridiculed (Millie) as though they can't handle it. This trait of playing protector seems to mirror Willowdean's own fear of ridicule.
I get that. In fact, I've been the fat girl but with none of her confidence. I think the message - love who you are - is one that will resonate with my kiddos and many others.
They serve us barbecue. I think that maybe lunch is some secret component of our final score because there is no higher achievement for a southern woman than the ability to eat barbecue and walk way stain free.<\i>
Willowdean is a snarky, self-proclaimed fat girl, and proud of it, until she meets Bo, a hunky, private-schooled jock who has a thing for cherry suckers and, possibly, Willowdean. She's been teased before, but it doesn't seem to bother her until Bo.
The reality is that even the most confident of folks have self-doubt. While the message is a good one -
Fat. Skinny. Short. Tall. It doesn’t matter.<\i>
Sometimes, it does matter to those who feel less than perfect. It's up to us to realize that our appearance isn't our only defining quality. Even though Willowdean is comfortable with her own body image, she is still compelled to 'rescue' others from being ridiculed (Millie) as though they can't handle it. This trait of playing protector seems to mirror Willowdean's own fear of ridicule.
I get that. In fact, I've been the fat girl but with none of her confidence. I think the message - love who you are - is one that will resonate with my kiddos and many others.