The SSR Podcast

For only the second time, SSR is taking on the Sarah Dessen universe on Episode 145, this time in a conversation about Keeping the Moon . Tune in to hear Alli and her guest discuss the 2019 Sarah Dessen controversy, their complicated feelings about main character Colie’s arc in Keeping the Moon , the fictional love interests that ruined them as teens, the makeover trope that took over pop culture...

On Episode 144, Alli and her guest Elise Bryant have a thoughtful, honest, and at times vulnerable conversation about I Am an Artichoke , which was written by Lucy Frank and published in 1995. The book tells the story of an angsty teen named Sarah who takes a summer job as a mother’s helper in New York City, only to discover that the family who hired her is working through trauma that they’re not...

She’s a little late to the party, but Alli is finally getting up to speed on PLL! On Episode 143, she and her guest discuss the first book in Sara Shepard’s bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars , which was published in 2006. They discuss each of the book’s main characters, along with its casual approach to major issues of power imbalance in relationships, eating disorders, race, and more. TW: s...

On Episode 142, Alli has her second-ever experience with Lisi Harrison’s The Clique series — more specifically, the second book in the series, Best Friends for Never . She and her guests discuss everything from teen confidence and dress codes to co-ed parties and how hard it is to discern the age of the girls in the Pretty Committee. Frannie Comstock and Sophie Krueger host the Girls Like Us podca...

Sharon Creech’s Chasing Redbird is the story of Zinnia Taylor, a thirteen-year-old who is navigating the chaos of her large family with the guilt she feels about the untimely deaths of her beloved cousin Rose and her Aunt Jessie. Oh, and there’s also an older boy named Jake Boone who is suddenly paying a lot of attention to her. But what happens when Zinny takes on the task of uncovering a twenty-...

On Episode 140 of SSR, Alli and her guest circle back to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairies series, this time for a discussion about the sixth installment, The Long Winter . This Newbery Honor winner tells the story of a particularly punishing winter season for the Ingalls family and feels oddly relatable to pandemic life in 2020 and 2021. Tune in for a frank conversation about th...

Let them eat cake! On Episode 139, Alli and her guest discuss the fourth installment in the beloved Royal Diaries series, Marie Antoinette, Princess of Versailles , written by Kathryn Lasky. They chat about the disturbing nature of marriage and royalty in the eighteenth century, try to reconcile the voice of Antonia in the diary with the infamous Marie Antoinette, wonder why gambling was such a ke...

Have you ever wanted to travel through time? Have you ever suspected that some era gone by might be a happier time period than the one you’re living in? If so, you’re not alone! Annie Lockwood — the protagonist of Caroline B. Cooney’s Both Sides of Time — is right there with you, and on Episode 138, Alli and her guest take a close look at her story, which is the first installment in Cooney’s Time...

On Episode 137, Frindle by Andrew Clements takes the stage! Frindle chronicles the adventures of a fifth-grader named Nick Allen who turns his community upside down when he decides to start using the word “frindle” to describe pens. On this episode, Alli shares why this book is so close to her heart and talks with her guests about troublemakers, cultural differences in the classroom, double standa...

On Episode 136, Alli and her guest discuss David Levithan’s trailblazing queer YA romance, Boy Meets Boy . Published in 2003, the novel tells the story of a high schooler named Paul, his many complicated relationships, and a utopian town in which all people are loved and accepted. Tune in for a conversation about the guest Ashley Woodfolk’s personal connection to the book, why Boy Meets Boy is so...

Years before MGM released The Wizard of Oz in 1939, there was a book that inspired the now-classic film! Published in 1900 and written by L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz takes readers alongside Dorothy on a magical journey to the fantastical land of Oz and on a quest to discover what she and her new friends most desire! On Episode 135, Alli and her guests take their own journey down the...

Alli volunteers as tribute… to discuss The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins! On Episode 134, it’s finally time to tackle this pop culture phenomenon! Alli and her guests discuss how the series impacted the YA category, how it mirrors real-life past and present, and the dystopian genre as a whole. They also chat about their feelings about the book’s love triangle and Katniss Everdeen’s experience as...

Long ago, Judy Blume was established as one of the reigning queens of the SSR podcast. On Episode 133, Alli and her guest take a look at a book that feels like a bit of a departure for our queen — Then Again, Maybe I Won’t , which was published in 1971. Unlike many of Blume’s coming of age stories, this one centers around a boy main character, thirteen-year-old Tony Miglione. Tune in to hear a dis...

On Episode 132, Alli and her guest Renée road trip through Christopher Paul Curti’s award-winning novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 . They talk about how the book portrays bullying, family, masculinity, race, and mental health, and the ways in which it was ahead of its time in many ways! Renée Hicks is the book lover behind the Book Girl Magic community, a book club that celebrates black w...

It’s a straight-up ‘90s Nostalgia Fest on Episode 131! Alli and her guest discuss the first book in the Magic Attic Club series, The Secret of the Attic . They chat about the Magic Attic Club brand as a whole and answer your burning questions — Is it related to American Girl? And where did it even go? They also discuss representations of racial and religious diversity in kid lit, the Magic Attic g...

Episode 130 marks the conclusion to Manuary 2021 — and Alli’s first experience with the oft-requested Avi novel, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle . The book was published in 1990 and won a Newbery Honor in 1991 and has quite the fandom within the SSR community. On this episode, Alli and guest Jordan Moblo have an in-depth conversation about The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle and what i...

Strap on your motorcycle helmets and get ready to take an adventure with Ralph S. Mouse! On Episode 129, Alli and her guest discuss Beverly Cleary’s 1965 middle grade novel The Mouse and the Motorcycle . They chat about mice in kid lit and do an extensive compare and contrast between Ralph and Stuart Little. They talk about the fun of stories that take place in a hotel setting and the challenges o...

It’s the second week of Manuary, the second episode of 2021, and Alli’s second- ever experience reading one of R. L. Stine’s beloved Goosebumps books! On Episode 128, SSR takes a spooky look at the seventh book in the iconic series, Night of the Living Dummy , in which we meet a very famous ventriloquist dummy named Slappy. Alli and her guest discuss their personal feelings about and experiences w...

Happy 2021, friends! SSR kicks off a new year and the third annual Manuary with a conversation about Kate DiCamillo’s award-winning middle grade novel Because of Winn-Dixie . Published in 2000, the book tells the story of a young girl named Opal who navigates life in a new town — among a colorful cast of characters — with the help of a dog named Winn-Dixie. On Episode 127, Because of Winn-Dixie in...

Once again, we’re inviting SSR listeners on to the show to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences about the books they loved most as kids… and maybe even some of the books the podcast has ruined for them. (Sorry!) Enjoy this special episode — and happy new year! See you in 2021! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the final ~official~ episode of 2020, and Alli and her guests are turning their attention to Pam Muñoz Ryan’s 2000 middle grade novel, Esperanza Rising . This beautiful, meaningful book touches on themes of immigration, family, race, class, mental health, the patriarchy, privilege, and so much more. Don’t miss out on this 2020 grand finale, featuring a very special, award-winning book. Check...

In the 1998 movie You’ve Got Mail , Kathleen Kelly shares her love for the “Shoe books” by Noel Streatfeild. Her favorite, she says, is Ballet Shoes — and since we are *big* fans of Kathleen Kelly around here, it’s time to tackle it! On Episode 124, Alli and her guest Jenny Bayliss dive into the world of the Fossil family — Pauline, Petrova, Posy, and their caretakers Garnie and Nana. They talk ab...

New Reads November is over… and we’re back to our usual literary throwback programming! On Episode 123, Alli and her guest take a walk down reading memory lane for a discussion about George Selden’s The Cricket in Times Square , which was published in 1960 and won a Newbery Honor in 1961. The book is a celebration of friendship, New York City, and the American dream. Tune in to hear Alli and Melis...

It’s the final week of New Reads November 2020! And we’re going out with a grand finale — a discussion about Leah Johnson’s much-buzzed debut, You Should See Me in a Crown . On Episode 122, Alli and her guest Jenny Lee talk about everything from prom and queer rep to anxiety and mean girls. You don’t want to miss this one (or the book that inspired it)! Jenny Lee is a TV writer and producer living...

For Week Three of New Reads November, Alli and her guest dive into a discussion about TIffany D. Jackson’s latest YA novel, Grown . Published in September 2020, Grown tells the story of an aspiring singer named Enchanted Jones who is swept into the scary world of beloved superstar Korey Fields. It’s a commentary on power and influence and race and the way our society treats victims of sexual assau...