Murphy, Julie

"I'm fat. It's not a cuss word. It's not an insult. At least it's not when I say it." Clover City, Texas, resident Willowdean "Will" Dickson has always been comfortable with who she is: a cashier at Harpy's Burgers & Dogs, a Dolly Parton fan, and a fat girl. But the attention of Bo, a co-worker she has a crush on, makes her feel self-conscious; her insecurities only increase when she decides to enter the town's famous Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant to honor her deceased aunt. Plus, her pageant-director mom is less than thrilled she's participating, and Will's fighting with her best friend. On the other hand, Will has the support of three other misfit pageant contestants; an encouraging drag queen; and the guy she's sort-of dating instead of Bo. Genuine, romantic, and with a dash of Texan charm, this is a novel that celebrates being who you are while also acknowledging that it's incredibly difficult to do. And Will, who triumphs without losing an ounce—either in weight or attitude