A review by papertraildiary
Puddin' by Julie Murphy

4.0

I loved Dumplin’ and Ramona Blue, so I was really excited for Puddin’. I really liked this one – it’s interesting though, because I wouldn’t say it stands out for me very much, but it’s a quiet enjoyment. I think I’d like to read this again to see if it sticks more. I love Julie’s writing and her characters. Puddin’ is about a girl named Millie who gained a bunch of confidence after being in the beauty pageant in Dumplin’ and is looking to shine even brighter. Her sights are set on journalism camp, rather than the fat camp she’s gone to every summer for years. But she can’t find a way to bring up her dreams to her mom, who insists on fat camp. Then there’s Callie, resident bad girl cheerleader who takes the fall for the destruction her team brought on to a gym that pulled their funding, which also happens to be owned by Millie’s aunt and uncle. So guess who get stuck together for summer jobs? The two girls spar at first, coming from two totally different worlds, but end up teaching each other how to strive for their best. It’s a great story of unlikely friendship and the strength we can give each other.