Dumplin' (Dumplin', 1)

Now a popular Netflix feature film, starring Jennifer Aniston, Danielle Macdonald, and Dove Cameron, as well as a soundtrack from Dolly Parton!

The #1 New York Times bestseller and feel-good YA of the year—about Willowdean Dixon, the fearless, funny, and totally unforgettable heroine who takes on her small town’s beauty pageant.

Self-proclaimed fat girl Willowdean Dickson (dubbed “Dumplin’” by her former beauty queen mom) has always been at home in her own skin. Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body.

With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked . . . until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.

Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any girl does.

Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.

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Published Mar 14, 2017

384 pages

Average rating: 7.83

60 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

abookwanderer
Oct 09, 2025
10/10 stars
I loved, loved this one. And once again, I’m wishing I would have read it sooner. I thought it was perfect. It encapsulated just how imperfect and changing teenagers are. It was very nostalgic for me, too. Especially since I grew up in a small Texas town. I loved Willowdean, along with all her triumphs and faults. Five glowing stars!

#popsugarreadingchallenge23 (prompt #29 - A book your friend recommended)
katietopp
Jan 01, 2025
8/10 stars
Weird to say I think I liked the movie better? I don't think I have ever said that about a movie adaptation of a book. But in this case, I do. I think Willowdean in the book is intensely selfish and cruel to her friends. On the other hand, I was also a fat girl in high school and emphasize with her struggles. So overall still 4 stars.
Mrs. Awake Taco
Nov 13, 2024
6/10 stars
I’m gonna be real, I liked the Netflix movie better. Sacrilege, I know. But the movie seemed to be more about the girls, the camaraderie, the pageant, and the actual body issues. In the book, it seemed like Willowdean was struggling by herself and the pageant was an afterthought. Sure, she still learned some valuable stuff and there were lots of excellent points made about body issues and struggles. But I just really enjoyed the camaraderie of the movie.
Fantasyfangirl
Apr 13, 2024
10/10 stars
I had already seen the movie but I really enjoyed the book.
LMahoney
Jan 26, 2024
8/10 stars
Great book. Super cute and I related to it a lot.

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