Thumped

Carolyn Mackler

Praise for BUMPED: “BUMPED is brilliant, innovative, and slightly terrifying. Megan McCafferty delivers!”

Rachel Cohn

Praise for BUMPED: “Megan McCafferty has conceived a hilarious, touching, truly original novel, told in her trademark, spot-on voice. Readers of every age will delight in this new arrival.”

Gabrielle Zevin

Praise for BUMPED: “Bumped has it all: a fascinating yet frighteningly believable world, seamless world-building, great humor, and sophisticated word play. The book will start many a discussion and, alas, raise more than a few eyebrows. I suspect the mothers will like it just as much as the daughters. Bumped is the ‘breediest’ novel of the year.”

VOYA - Jane Gov

Sometime in the future, everyone over the age of eighteen is infertile; teen pregnancy becomes not only acceptable, but encouraged and revered. Approximately thirty-five weeks after the conclusion of Bumped (HarperCollins, 2011/VOYA April 2011), teen twins, Harmony and Melody, are both in their third trimesters, both to deliver twins on the same day. The world has gone mad for their story, and an entire market has been formed in anticipation of the "Double Double Due Date." It is later revealed that Melody, who appears pregnant to everyone including the doctors, is actually wearing a very advanced "baby bump," an artificial stomach suit that mimics a fetus. Meanwhile, Harmony is back in Goodside with her husband and family—and she is miserable. The story grows even more twisted when the twins are reunited, and it becomes clear that the truth must be revealed to the world... and soon. Thumped glamorizes teen pregnancy a large fraction less than its predecessor, though like Bumped, the true problems are only hinted at and not directly tackled. Rather than delving deep into politics, revolutionary tactics, or ethics, the focus here is commercialism and romance. Pair that with a lack of character development, a lack of suspense, and too easily-solved conflicts, and Thumped falls short against other dystopian novels. Because the basic premise seems reminiscent of DeStefano's Wither (Simon & Schuster, 2001/VOYA April 2011), the topic will cause many raised eyebrows and spark interesting discussions. Reviewer: Jane Gov

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—Science fiction frequently introduces readers to mind-bending scenarios, and Thumped is no exception. In this dystopian sequel to Bumped (HarperCollins, 2011), readers return to New Jersey in 2036. A virus has infected the population, rendering almost everyone over the age of 18 infertile. To ensure an adequate national birthrate, teenagers are encouraged by the government to procreate. Patriotic surrogacy is a lucrative way for high school girls to fund their higher educations, and for some, it's even a path to fame. Melody and Harmony, twins separated at birth but now recently reunited, are both pregnant with twins of their own. As their "double double due date" approaches and their fame skyrockets, they search for a way to use their media platform to address the importance of a young woman's right to choose her own reproductive future—even if it means exposing damaging lies. The well-paced plot and the twins' alternating narratives will keep readers engaged. Although sex and reproduction are frequently discussed, it's never in a graphic manner. A worthwhile read for teens beginning to think about their personal reproductive choices.—Lindsay Cesari, Baldwinsville School District, NY

Kirkus Reviews

This breezy and intriguing near-time dystopia concludes with the much-anticipated birth that was bought and paid for in the first installment, Bumped (2011). After a virus destroyed the ability of anyone over the age of 18 to reproduce, teen pregnancy became big business and major TMZ-style entertainment. Now the whole United States eagerly anticipates the day that twins Melody and Harmony will each give birth to two more sets of twins, but Melody has a secret. She isn't really pregnant but is faking it with the help of technology that can fool even doctors. Meanwhile, Harmony realizes that her religious cult will take her children from her, so she escapes. The famous stud Jondoe, who has fallen in love with Harmony, prepares for the birth with gusto, knowing that these are his twins, not Harmony's husband's. All the secrets finally explode, but not before readers have plenty of fun in McCafferty's futuristic world. However, this book, even more strongly than the last, makes the deliberate point that teenage pregnancy and sex without love can seriously damage both the teens and society. Despite that serious message, the author serves it all up with bubbly banter, full of invented slang ("I'm not pregging!"). A sparkling, imaginative romp that is nevertheless plenty provocative. (Science fiction. 14 & up)