Reading Can Seriously Damage Your Ignorance

In our current political climate, all sides tend to post information that isn't true. Much of that false information now comes from social media sites and can go viral in minutes. My job as an English teacher is to help my students determine what is actual news (backed up by verifiable facts) and what is fake news (not backed up by verifiable facts).

In addition to shared false information, there seems to be a lot of hate in our country right now - once again, on all sides. I am so lucky to be an English teacher because I can recommend books that are mirrors and windows for my students. Students can see themselves in books - mirrors, and students can see others in books - windows. There is no better feeling in the world when a student, after finishing a book, says to me, "I loved that book! It made me think about things differently."

We all have or biases and prejudices, but many times that comes from our fear of the unknown. Reading, fiction or nonfiction, is one of the best ways to challenge our biases and prejudices. Do we end up agreeing with an author's perspective, thinking about the author's perspective in a different light, or totally changing our thinking because of what the author was putting out there?

I love to read books and articles from many perspectives. This is how I remain an informed citizen and how I am able to empathize with others. I don't always agree with what an author has to say, but, at least, I can say I have a new perspective and something to think about and read about further. In the end, "Reading can seriously damage your ignorance." And . . . isn't that what an informed democracy is all about?

The Lines We Cross by Randa Abdel-Fattah

This is one of those books that "can seriously damage your ignorance." Both sides of the refugee debate are shown in this young adult book by Randa Abdel-Fattah. To be honest, I had never really considered the ideas of those against accepting refugees into the country, but this book forced me to look at all sides of the issue. Just like the Take a Knee issue here in the United States, people of all different races, ethnicities, religions, etc. have ideas on how to deal with the ever-growing refugee populations around the world. In fact, when my students were looking at the Take a Knee issue in my classes, one of my students, who is black, disagreed with the majority of the students and felt that taking a knee was disrespectful. Just like my student, there were minor characters in the book who were immigrants themselves and felt that taking in refugees was wrong. I think it's important to be able to hear all sides and have an informed perspective. It would be great if people who are against taking in refugees would read this book, too, because there is so much information to learn from both sides. Ms. Abdel-Fattah does an excellent job of allowing all voices to be heard in the book, but she does have her own perspective, which is obvious when reading her book.

Goodreads blurb: A remarkable story about the power of choosing tolerance from one of the most important voices in contemporary Muslim literature, critically acclaimed author Randa Abdel-Fattah. Michael usually concerns himself with basketball and hanging out with his friends, but every once in a while, his parents drag him to meetings and rallies with their anti-immigrant group. And it all makes sense to Michael. Until Mina, a beautiful girl from the other side of the protest lines, shows up at his school, and turns out to be funny, smart -- and a Muslim refugee from Afghanistan. Suddenly, his parents' politics seem much more complicated. Mina has already had a long and arduous journey leaving behind her besieged home in Afghanistan, and the frigid welcome at her new school is daunting. She just wants to settle in and help her parents get their restaurant up and running. But nothing about her new community will be that easy. As tensions increase, lines are drawn. Michael has to decide where he stands. Mina has to protect herself and her family. Both have to choose what they want their world to look like.

New experiences . . . all from my living room couch

I apologize for not writing on this blog for a few weeks, but I've been hooked on reading so many great books (and teaching 8th grade English)! In looking over my most recent reads, I've read books ranging from a Native American childhood in the Southwest to an Egyptian girl, who was sold as a slave at eight years old to a wealthy family.

These books have made me cry, have made me laugh, and have made me think about how lucky I am to live the life I live. Reading lets me experience the lives of others without ever leaving my couch, and I am so thankful that middle school students and high school students have a multitude of fabulous books by fabulous authors to chose from. Here are the four books I have read in the past four weeks:

Rattlesnake Mesa: Stories from a Native American Childhood by Ednah New Rider Weber

I'll be honest; I usually judge a book by it's cover. That's terrible - I know, especially since I'm an English teacher, and this book had sat in my closet for over a year because I didn't like the cover. Well, I finally decided to read it, and I wonder why I waited so long. It was an eye-opening book. The author, Ednah New Rider Weber, shares brief stories about her childhood - about her friends and family and her times at an Indian boarding school, which she, along with thousands of other Native children, were forced to attend by our government in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Ms. New Rider Weber has a way of telling each story with heart yet at the same time making each story brief, so she can share as many of her wonderful (and heartbreaking) stories as possible.

Goodreads blurb (a really quirk blurb that doesn't do the book justice): EdNah, a seven-year-old Pawnee girl, goes to live with a father she hardly knows on a Navajo reservation after her grandmother dies.


Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

Just read this book! That's all I need to say.

Goodreads blurb: Jade believes she must get out of her neighborhood if she’s ever going to succeed. Her mother says she has to take every opportunity. She has. She accepted a scholarship to a mostly-white private school and even Saturday morning test prep opportunities. But some opportunities feel more demeaning than helpful. Like an invitation to join Women to Women, a mentorship program for “at-risk” girls. Except really, it’s for black girls. From “bad” neighborhoods.

But Jade doesn’t need support. And just because her mentor is black doesn’t mean she understands Jade. And maybe there are some things Jade could show these successful women about the real world and finding ways to make a real difference.

Friendships, race, privilege, identity—this compelling and thoughtful story explores the issues young women face.

Hidden Girl: The True Story of a Modern-Day Child Slave by Shyima Hall

Recently and over the past several months, there have been news stories about human trafficking in the United States and across the globe, but it never really dawned on me what was truly happening to these children, teens, and adults who were sold into slavery or captured into slavery. Shyima Hall's story begins in Egypt where she is a happy child even though she lives in abject poverty. At eight years old, she is sold by her parents to a wealthy family in Egypt; this family eventually leaves Egypt and takes Shyima with them to the United States to be their slave from before sun-up to well after sundown. There is a happy ending to this real-life story, but that happiness comes slowly to Shyima.

Goodreads blurb: Shyima Hall was born in Egypt on September 29, 1989, the seventh child of desperately poor parents. When she was eight, her parents sold her into slavery. Shyima then moved two hours away to Egypt’s capitol city of Cairo to live with a wealthy family and serve them eighteen hours a day, seven days a week. When she was ten, her captors moved to Orange County, California, and smuggled Shyima with them. Two years later, an anonymous call from a neighbor brought about the end of Shyima’s servitude—but her journey to true freedom was far from over.

A volunteer at her local police department since she was a teenager, Shyima is passionate about helping to rescue others who are in bondage. Now a US citizen, she regularly speaks out about human trafficking and intends to one day become an immigration officer. In Hidden Girl, Shyima candidly reveals how she overcame her harrowing circumstances and brings vital awareness to a timely and relevant topic.

Patina (Track series, #2) by Jason Reynolds

If you've never read a book by Jason Reynolds, I highly recommend everything he has written! Reynolds has a way of getting to the heart of the characters in his story and making his readers want to finish one of his books in one sitting. 

Patina is another one of these books. It is the second book in his Track series. (Ghost was the first one in the series, which

I also highly recommend.) Patina, a.k.a. Patty, will have you cheering her on as she deals with her mom's illness, her new school, and doing her best to take care of everyone around her, including her younger sister, Maddy.

Goodreads blurb: Patina, or Patty, runs like a flash. She runs for many reasons—to escape the taunts from the kids at the fancy-schmancy new school she’s been sent to since she and her little sister had to stop living with their mom. She runs from the reason WHY she’s not able to live with her “real” mom any more: her mom has The Sugar, and Patty is terrified that the disease that took her mom’s legs will one day take her away forever. So Patty’s also running for her mom, who can’t. But can you ever really run away from any of this? As the stress builds up, it’s building up a pretty bad attitude as well. Coach won’t tolerate bad attitude. No day, no way. And now he wants Patty to run relay…where you have to depend on other people? How’s she going to do THAT?

No Human Being Is Illegal

Elie Wiesel, writer, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Holocaust survivor, said, "You who are so-called illegal aliens must know that no human being is illegal. That is a contradiction in terms. Human beings can be beautiful or more beautiful, they can be fat or skinny, they can be right or wrong, but illegal? How can a human being be illegal?"

Think about that. "How can a human being be illegal?" It baffles my mind that there are currently 65.6 million people worldwide who have been displaced from their homes. 22.5 million of those are refugees. Also included in that number are 10 million stateless people, which means they don't have a country to call home; they are country-less. Over half of the refugees come from three countries: Syria, Afghanistan, and South Sudan. (from UNHCR Figures at a Glance).

Americans, Europeans, Middle Easterners, and others have mixed views on helping refugees. Should refugees be allowed to enter their countries, or should refugees be returned to their homes - the places they were fleeing from in the first place.  Before reading Refugee, I agreed with those who said we should take refugees in. After reading Refugee, my belief is even stronger. Those fleeing their countries are desperate; we must take them in.



Refugee by Alan Gratz

This book is a popular one in our public library system, and I was on the wait list for two months. The book is well worth the wait. To be honest, I think Refugee is one of the most important books of our time, and it is a must-read for middle school students to adults. For those who believe refugees are "illegal" and should be sent back home, this book will open your eyes to the horrors refugees experience in their homelands and then on their journeys. It was an absolutely heart-breaking book. Children and families are risking their lives to live somewhere safe. We need to be accepting of them and help. They are humans and can't be illegal. Warning: Tears might be shed at the end of the novel.

Goodreads Blurb: JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration camps looming, he and his family board a ship bound for the other side of the world . . .

ISABEL is a Cuban girl in 1994. With riots and unrest plaguing her country, she and her family set out on a raft, hoping to find safety in America . . .

MAHMOUD is a Syrian boy in 2015. With his homeland torn apart by violence and destruction, he and his family begin a long trek toward Europe . . .

All three kids go on harrowing journeys in search of refuge. All will face unimaginable dangers -- from drownings to bombings to betrayals. But there is always the hope of tomorrow. And although Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud are separated by continents and decades, their stories will tie together in the end.

Great books to start the new school year!

Sitting on my front porch, fall is in the air. The sky blinds a bright blue, the wind blows crisply, and the leaves mix with colors - yellow, red, orange, maroon, and some green still. I love this time of year because I can grab a blanket and a good book and curl up to read - inside or outside.  I have enjoyed a few books the past few weeks, and I hope you can find one or two you might enjoy on a crisp, autumn day (or evening).

Listen, Slowly by Thannhà Lai

Being honest here . . . I  haven't finished the book yet. I'm reading it very sloooooowly because I don't want to leave Mai yet. She is a 12 year old Vietnamese girl, born in the United States, who is on a summer trip to help her Ba (grandma) find out what happened to her husband, Mai's Ong (grandpa) during the Vietnam war. Mai has such a wonderful spirit! She is a real American 12-year old girl, who wants nothing to do with traveling to Vietnam. While she is gone, she worries about her friend Montana stealing the boy she loves - even though the boy has no idea about Mai's feelings for him. While on this trip, Mai slowly comes to discover her roots and her love for the country of Vietnam and her "maybe-relatives." Listen, Slowly is a funny, honest, and heartwarming story of growing up, loss, and compassion.

Goodreads summary:

A California girl born and raised, Mai can't wait to spend her vacation at the beach. Instead, though, she has to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother, who is going back to find out what really happened to her husband during the Vietnam War. Mai's parents think this trip will be a great opportunity for their out-of-touch daughter to learn more about her culture. But to Mai, those are their roots, not her own. Vietnam is hot, smelly, and the last place she wants to be. Besides barely speaking the language, she doesn't know the geography, the local customs, or even her distant relatives. To survive her trip, Mai must find a balance between her two completely different worlds.

Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess

Want a book you can read in a day because you won't be able to put it down? This one is for you! I was hooked from the very first page of this novel-in-verse (or novel-in-rock and roll). Blade Morrison, seventeen year old, is trying to figure out his life and embarks on a journey to Ghana. In Ghana, Blade comes to a better understanding of himself and his father. That's all I want to say.  You won't want to put this amazing book down!

Goodreads blurb:

Solo, a YA novel in poetic verse, tells the story of seventeen-year-old Blade Morrison, whose life is bombarded with scathing tabloids and a father struggling with just about every addiction under the sun—including a desperate desire to make a comeback. Haunted by memories of his mother and his family’s ruin, Blade’s only hope is in the forbidden love of his girlfriend. But when he discovers a deeply protected family secret, Blade sets out on a journey across the globe that will change everything he thought to be true. 

Pottymouth and Stoopid by James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein, and Stephen Gilpin

Well, if you like books with underdogs, this book is for you. Pottymouth (a.k.a Michael) and Stoopid (a.k.a David) have been picked on since Kindergarten because of the crazy things they do - although they don't think they are crazy. The boys are just being themselves. Included in the book are an amazing mom, a devious ex-dad, an evil classmate, and a rich cartoon producer. The book was a little unbelievable, but, if you are a middle school student looking for a fun, outlandish, and fast-paced book, then this is the book for you.

Goodreads: 

Tired of being bullied, middle-school underdogs Pottymouth and Stoopid finally fight back with the power of funny.David and his best friend Michael were tagged with awful nicknames way back in preschool when everyone did silly things. Fast-forward to seventh grade Pottymouth and Stoopid are still stuck with the names-and everyone in school, including the teachers and their principal, believe the labels are true. So how do they go about changing everyones minds By turning their misery into megastardom on TV, of course And this important story delivers more than just laughs-it shows that the worst bullying doesn't have to be physical...and that things will get better.

For the Socially Awkward and Introverted

It's workshop week for us teachers before the start of the school year, which entails torturous community building for those of us who are socially awkward and/or introverted. I freely admit I can be socially awkward at times and introverted all of the time. At times, I don't know what to say because I'm still processing, say the wrong things because I just do, or don't say anything at all because I'm afraid of what my peers will think of me. After day one of community building, I got to thinking about how stressful this can be for many students - those who are socially awkward and/or introverted. So, my dear students, the first book recommendation is for you - especially if you feel like you don't fit in.

Adults, teachers, administrators, etc., the second book recommendation is for you!


The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin 

Although the Goodreads blurb does not mention anything about Suzy (aka Zu) being an outsider in her school, she is. Suzy has one good friend, but that friendship takes a turn as the two grow older.

Goodreads blurb: 

This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist!

After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.

Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, a Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship by Michelle Kuo

Today, our principal asked us, "Why? Why do you show up every day?" and then asked us to turn and share. Once again, being the introvert (see first paragraph), I needed time to process, but there wasn't much time for me to do so.  I gave some vague reply to my partner, yet the question still left me thinking as I drove home at the end of the day, while I was entranced with and finishing the book this evening, and after I had finished it. It is now 9:30 (time for bed, actually), but I need to share my thoughts on this book and why you should read it.  

Twenty years ago, if I were asked that question, I would have said, "Because I've always wanted to be a teacher."  (Oh, the young and naive me.)  Ten years ago, I would have said, "Because I love kids."  Five years ago, I would have said, "I don't really know."  (I didn't know at this point if I still wanted to teach.) Today, I think I know: "Because I truly believe the world can be better for all of us, and I can help the world be a better place by opening up my students to the wonderful world of reading and writing."  

Through Ms. Kuo's journey, she opens up the world for her students and particularly one student, Patrick, and Patrick opens up the world for Ms. Kuo. I don't want to say too much about the book because it's a lot to digest, and I don't want to taint your thinking about it by giving you my opinions. (Ms. Kuo has a good line about that near the end of the book.)  Although I do want to leave you with my favorite lines: ". . . I have to believe that two people can make a powerful impression on one another, especially in a certain kind of place, where so many have left, and in a certain time, when we are coming of age, not worn down or hardened. In these times and places we are fragile and ready." 

Goodreads blurb: 

A memoir of race, inequality, and the power of literature told through the life-changing friendship between an idealistic young teacher and her gifted student, jailed for murder in the Mississippi Delta.

Recently graduated from Harvard University, Michelle Kuo arrived in the rural town of Helena, Arkansas, as a Teach for America volunteer, bursting with optimism and drive. But she soon encountered the jarring realities of life in one of the poorest counties in America, still disabled by the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow. In this stirring memoir, Kuo, the child of Taiwanese immigrants, shares the story of her complicated but rewarding mentorship of one student, Patrick Browning, and his remarkable literary and personal awakening.

Convinced she can make a difference in the lives of her teenaged students, Michelle Kuo puts her heart into her work, using quiet reading time and guided writing to foster a sense of self in students left behind by a broken school system. Though Michelle loses some students to truancy and even gun violence, she is inspired by some such as Patrick. Fifteen and in the eighth grade, Patrick begins to thrive under Michelle's exacting attention. However, after two years of teaching, Michelle feels pressure from her parents and the draw of opportunities outside the Delta and leaves Arkansas to attend law school.

Then, on the eve of her law-school graduation, Michelle learns that Patrick has been jailed for murder. Feeling that she left the Delta prematurely and determined to fix her mistake, Michelle returns to Helena and resumes Patrick's education--even as he sits in a jail cell awaiting trial. Every day for the next seven months they pore over classic novels, poems, and works of history. Little by little, Patrick grows into a confident, expressive writer and a dedicated reader galvanized by the works of Frederick Douglass, James Baldwin, Walt Whitman, W. S. Merwin, and others. In her time reading with Patrick, Michelle is herself transformed, contending with the legacy of racism and the questions of what constitutes a "good" life and what the privileged owe to those with bleaker prospects.

Reading with Patrick is an inspirational story of friendship, a coming-of-age story of both a young teacher and a student, a deeply resonant meditation on education, race, and justice in the rural South, and a love letter to literature and its power to transcend social barriers.

We Are Okay

One of the reasons I love to read is because reading fosters empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Living, what some would consider, a fairly middle-class life, I read to understand the lives of others. Reading opens up my world to others who are not like me and helps me to be a more empathetic person, which is sorely needed in today's world. A few days ago, I finished We Are Okay by Nina LaCour; I cannot quit thinking about that book.  First off, the language is captivating and beautiful. Secondly, I felt a connection to Marin, the main character. Even though I have never experienced what happened to her in terms of the main conflict, I could relate to her experience of living a contented life and being happy. It got me to thinking about how life can change in an instant. Finally, the ending made me cry - won't tell you what happens. I do cry sometimes while reading books, but this one made me sob at the end.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour       

Goodreads Blurb:

You go through life thinking there’s so much you need…

Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart. 

Shaking the World Gently

As I sit here and write my latest post, I am listening to news about Charlottesville in the background. Some people are thinking, "How could this happen? This is not the America I know." But . . . this is the America that many know - people of color, LGBT, religious minorities, those who are overweight, those with disabilities, those who are in any way different . . . The events in Charlottesville this past weekend are no surprise to people who experience discrimination, prejudice, and hate on a daily basis. In writing this post, it is my hope to expand everyone's horizons with a diverse list of books. I truly believe that reading gives us the opportunity to view a world that is different from our own. Reading helps us to understand others. Mahatma Gandhi said, "In a gentle way, you can shake the world." This blog is my gentle way of shaking the world. Thank you for reading it and reading the books I recommend.

Hidden Figures (Young Readers Edition) by Margot Lee Shetterly

Now in a special new edition perfect for young listeners, this is the amazing true story of four African-American female mathematicians at NASA who helped achieve some of the greatest moments in our space program. Soon to be a major motion picture.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules, and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space. This audiobook brings to life the stories of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, four African-American women who lived through the Civil Rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the movement for gender equality, and whose work forever changed the face of NASA and the country. 


We All Looked Up by Tommy Wallach (FYI - mature content)

Before the asteroid we let ourselves be defined by labels:
The athlete, the outcast, the slacker, the overachiever.

But then we all looked up and everything changed.

They said it would be here in two months. That gave us two months to leave our labels behind. Two months to become something bigger than what we'd been, something that would last even after the end.

Two months to really live. 

Ghost (Track series #1) by Jason Reynolds

Running. That's all that Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But never for a track team. Nope, his game has always been ball. But when Ghost impulsively challenges an elite sprinter to a race -- and wins -- the Olympic medalist track coach sees he has something: crazy natural talent. Thing is, Ghost has something else: a lot of anger, and a past that he is trying to outrun. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed and meld with the team, or will his past finally catch up to him?





Smile (Smile series #1) by Raina Telgemeier 

Raina Telgemeier's #1 New York Times bestselling, Eisner Award-winning graphic memoir based on her childhood!

Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there's still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.

Into White by Randi Pink (FYI - mature content)

When a black teenager prays to be white and her wish comes true, her journey of self-discovery takes shocking--and often hilarious--twists and turns in this debut that people are sure to talk about.

LaToya Williams lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and attends a mostly white high school. She's so low on the social ladder that even the other black kids disrespect her. Only her older brother, Alex, believes in her. At least, until a higher power answers her only prayer--to be "anything but black." And voila! She wakes up with blond hair, blue eyes, and lily white skin. And then the real fun begins . . .

Randi Pink's debut dares to explore provocative territory. One thing's for sure--people will talk about this book.


Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick (FYI - mature content)  

Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.

But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate, Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.

In this riveting look at a day in the life of a disturbed teenage boy, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

A Wall Street Journal's Best Children's Book of 2015

An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars.

Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?

This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making. 


Dumplin' (Dumplin' series #1) by Julie Murphy (FYI - mature content)

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

With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.