Bumped

March 7, 2011
McCafferty proves that dystopias don't have to be dreary to be provocative. A virus has left everyone over the age of 18 unable to procreate, making teenagers the only viable "breeders" and spawning a pregnancy-obsessed future society. Chapters alternate between the perspectives of two 16-year-old twins, separated at birth: deeply religious Harmony, raised in god-fearing, vaguely Amish "Goodside," and Melody, whose adoptive parents have
been crafting her into the perfect Reproduction Professional or RePro, sought by wealthy, barren couples. McCafferty (the Jessica Darling series) has enormous fun in her first YA novel: tweens, aka "nubie-pubies," try on Preggerz FunBumps,
designed to mimic pregnancy; expectant teens munch on Folato Chips for folic acid boosts; and slang like "fertilicious," "terminal," and "barren" is used with abandon. Yet she also raises challenging questions about individuality and morality. There's a predictable though entertaining identity switch, and readers must wait until the next book to learn if these girls end up with the lives (and guys) they want. The book's carefree sexuality and exploitation makes it uncomfortable, scandalous, and not easily forgotten—there's little doubt that's exactly what McCafferty is going for. Ages 14–up.

May 15, 2011
Grades 9-12 After an inexplicable virus renders anyone 18 years and older infertile, bumping, the practice of arranging pregnancies with teen surrogates, becomes a big business. Sixteen-year-olds Melody and Harmony, identical twins separated at birth, couldnt be more different from each other. Melody has one of the most talked about bumping contracts, but she is reluctant to fulfill it, even when her bumping agent arranges for a notoriously hot stud to impregnate her. Harmony, raised in the super-religious community of Goodside, is dead set on preventing Melody from bumping for profit, but she is also wrestling with conflicting thoughts about faith, love, and marriage. Like Julia Karrs XVI (2011), Bumped has plenty to say about reproductive rights and girls place in society, but McCaffertys touch is a bit lighter. McCafferty sometimes dodges terrifying truths, such as the implications of teens who sell their babies on an auction block, but she will likely develop these ethical and moral dilemmas in the planned sequel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)

March 1, 2011
In this well-realized dystopia, a virus has rendered nearly everyone in the world unable to have children after age 18. As a result, teen pregnancies become the only way to continue civilization. Alternating chapters follow two identical twins, Melody and Harmony, who meet for the first time just as Melody is about to begin fulfilling her lucrative contract to "bump" and produce a baby for a wealthy couple. Harmony has left her conservative religious enclave in an attempt to convince Melody to embrace God instead. Everything goes awry when Harmony intercepts the pregnancy agent's wonderful news: Melody will be "bumping" with the most famous and desirable surrogate father alive. As the story progresses, however, the each twin faces serious doubts about her original plans. McCafferty invents teen slang that rings true, such as "a pregg" (baby), "facespace" and "until our parents' generation finally takes a dirtnap." The author keeps her characters lively, giving them distinct personalities, and she clearly takes sides in judging her imagined future society. Despite the futuristic setting, the main focus of the book is a cautionary tale about teen pregnancy and casual, loveless sex. McCafferty includes abundant sexual references, mostly from the enthusiastic high-school girls who compete over their "preggs" and "bumps." She leaves readers with an ambiguous ending, sure to keep them thinking. (Science fiction. 14 & up)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

June 1, 2011

Gr 9 Up-In the near future, a virus renders almost everyone over the age of 18 infertile. Teen pregnancies are not only acceptable, but also vital to humanity's survival. Sixteen-year-old Melody and her parents, like many others, have decided to go pro with her fertility. She has an agent, Lib, who has secured her a deal including a six-figure payday, full college tuition, a car, and a postpartum tummy tuck. Not everything is perfect, though. Melody is still waiting for Lib to find the perfect match for her, someone the prospective parents, the Jaydens, will accept, and her clock is ticking. To top things off, Melody has just learned that she has a twin. Harmony, who was raised in a religious commune away from the temptations of the world, shows up unexpectedly. If her existence becomes known, then Melody's DNA will no longer be unique and her value will plummet. Of course, Lib coincidentally comes up with Jondoe, the most prestigious "man brand" of them all, the Jaydens approve of him, and mistaken identity ensues. McCafferty has concocted a world that is dystopia-lite. Something horrible has happened, but life for most teens is still carefree. Everyone can access MiNet via contact lenses, the pleasure drug Tocin is readily available, and sex is encouraged. The author even slips some serious issues into this hip novel.-Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Library, Wisconsin Rapids, WI

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2011
A virus has destroyed adults' reproductive ability, making teenage girls "the most important people on the planet." Sixteen-year-old Melody has a lucrative contract to get "bumped" and consequently pregnant. However, the arrival of Harmony, her religious identical twin, jeopardizes Melody's deal. Told from the sisters' alternating perspectives, this thought-provoking novel fully commits to its values-bending premise.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)