Explore every episode of the podcast The SSR Podcast

Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2025 with a conversation with a friend from across the pond, highlighting a series and book that's been a particular favorite for young readers in the U.K. Jacqueline Wilson's Girls in Love takes center stage! Tune into Episode 307 for discussions about fake boyfriends, shifting friendships, diet culture, self-image, and more.

TW: attempted assault, body image, diet culture

Lucy Jane Wood is an online content creator, avid reader, and coziness-seeker. Her debut novel is Rewitched. Follow her on Instagram @lucyjanewood and YouTube.

CHECK OUT LUCY'S BOOK HERE!

Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood

CHECK OUT LUCY'S BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong

MORE READING:

"Girls in Love" (Publishers Weekly, 1997)

"Are we too young for Jacqueline Wilson's Girls in Love" (The Guardian, 2011)

"Book Review — Girls in Love by Jacqueline Wilson" (Yipee Ki-Yay, Motherbooker)

"Jacqueline Wilson to release new adult sequel to Girls in Love book series" (Independent, 2024)

"Girls in Love" (Jacqueline Wilson Wiki)

"Everything that happened in the Jacqueline Wilson Girls series" (Penguin, 2024)

"Review — Girls in Love — Jacqueline Wilson" (Blog of a Bookaholic, 2012)

"Why do Jacqueline Wilson's books resonate with young people, especially girls?" (Quora)

"'These books captured our hearts': Jacqueline Wilson's Girls series is back—and millennials are rejoicing" (The Guardian, 2024)

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The Magic Tree House has been making readers, history buffs, and science geeks of kids for more than thirty years—and at long last, SSR dives in! Episode 306 covers all things Magic Tree House with a special focus on the first installment, Dinosaurs Before Dark. Alli and her guest chat about everything from the origin of Magic Tree House and unpopular opinions about the books to the allure of treehouses and time travel. Also... dinosaurs.

Kat Tang is a former lawyer turned fiction writer with an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. Her debut novel Five-Star Stranger has made most-anticipated and must-read lists by many outlets. Follow her on Instagram @tangkat.

CHECK OUT KAT'S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT KAT'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

Half a Life by Darin Strauss

MORE READING:

"The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly about Magic Tree House" (Big Books, Little Ears)

"30 years and 65 books later, Mary Pope Osborne reflects on 'Magic Tree House'" (Today, 2022)

"Book Reviews: An Unpopular Opinion about the Popular Magic Tree House Series" (Dragon Bite Books & Crafts, 2021)

"Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Magic Tree House Collection" (First Book, 2022)

"Series Review: The Magic Tree House" (The Starving Artist, 2017)

"The Magic Tree House's Magical Popularity" (Pine Reads Review, 2021)

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Alli and Abby are BACK for the fifth installment of SSR: WriTing Friends, this time for a conversation with memoirist Molly Roden Winter about the personal, vulnerable, intimate experience of putting one's own story on paper for public consumption. They put their heads together to consider the similarities and differences between writing fiction and writing memoir and tackle some specific aspects of the former: the nature of memory, the ethics of reviewing memoirs, how to edit your personal experience, reading your old journals, having hard conversations, and what we can learn from someone else's story.

Molly's New York Times bestselling debut memoir—More: A Memoir of Open Marriage—is available wherever books are sold. Follow her on Instagram @mollyrwinter.

CHECK OUT MOLLY'S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT MOLLY'S BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney

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On Episode 304, Alli and her guest right the wrong (???) of somehow missing The Catcher in the Rye in their reading lives. In this juicy, thoughtful episode, they consider the book's place in the American canon and on school reading lists everywhere. They chat about sad boy fiction, Holden Caulfield's complicated character and legacy, love bombing, New York City as a character, teen angst, slut shaming, and more.

TW: death by suicide, sexual assault

Beth Kander is a writer with tangled roots in the Midwest and Deep South. Described as a "genre-defying author and playwright" (Oxford American), her work has been called "riveting" and "habit-forming." I Made It Out of Clay is her latest novel. Follow Beth on Instagram @bethkander.

CHECK OUT BETH'S BOOKS:

I Made It Out of Clay

Do Not Eat This Book!

CHECK OUT BETH'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio

The Measure by Nikki Erlick

Night Owls by A.R. Vishy

Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner

MORE READING:

"Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger — review" (The Guardian, 2012)

"The Meaning of The Catcher in the Rye" (Thought Catalog, 2024)

"Story Skeleton — The Catcher in the Rye" (The Darling Axe, 2023)

"From everyteen to annoying: are today's young readers turning on The Catcher in the Rye?" (The Guardian, 2019)

"He's Not Holden!" (Slate, 2013)

"I Hated Catcher in the Rye As A Teen — But It's Exactly The Book I Needed As An Adult" (Bustle, 2018)

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It's our first-ever holiday episode! No matter what you celebrate at this time of year, Episode 303 will get your wheels turning as we unpack The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Alli and her guest chat about the surprisingly religious bent of the book, among other things: the unruly children trope, nativity plays, the book's new adaptation, fatphobia, and disappearing narrators.

Sarai Johnson is the author of Grown Women. Follow her on Instagram @sarajwrites.

CHECK OUT SARAI'S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT SARAI'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me by Glory Edim

MORE READING:

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Early Review" (Love Thy Nerd, 2024)

"Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson" (The Story Sanctuary, 2020)

"Book Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" (A Journey of Words, 2022)

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever—Book Review" (Simply Learning Together, 2022)

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" (Bookology, 2019)

"The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in Public School?" (Reddit, 2022)

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We’ve covered our fair share of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield’s high school hi-jinx on the podcast, but at long last, Alli and her guest turn their attention to a kinder, softer version of the twins: the middle school sub-series, Sweet Valley Twins. Episode 302 is all about The Curse of the Ruby Necklace, which chronicles the ~super chilling~ journey the twins take when they find their way to a local Hollywood film set and a decades-old family mystery. Guest Sally Franson is a superfan of the series and this book, and the episode is a rollicking good time that celebrates Jess and Liz as sixth graders with questionable detective skills.

Sally Franson is the author of Big in Sweden and A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out. Follow her on Instagram @sallyjf.

CHECK OUT THE SWEET VALLEY EPISODES MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Episode 202: Tall, Dark, and Deadly (Sweet Valley High #126) (with Andie J. Christopher)

Episode 289: Alone in the Crowd (Sweet Valley High #28) (with Claire Lombardo)

CHECK OUT SALLY’S BOOKS:

Big in Sweden

A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out

CHECK OUT SALLY’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Swift River by Essie Chambers

Blood Test: A Comedy by Charles Baxter

Show Don’t Tell: Stories by Curtis Sittenfeld

MORE READING:

“My Erotic Awakening in the Pages of ‘Sweet Valley High’” (The New York Times, 2024) <— written by our guest!

“The lasting power of ‘Sweet Valley Twins’: How my daughter and I are connecting over the series” (Today, 2024)

“YA Authors Reminisce About the Influence of ‘Sweet Valley High’” (Publishers Weekly, 2024)

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This week, join Alli and her guest for an exciting voyage to Antarctica… and also for a conversation about Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle. The fifth installment in L’Engle’s beloved Austin Family Chronicles series, the book was published in 1994 and explores subjects of espionage, nuclear waste dumping, drug trafficking, and more. Join the fun as we try to unpack all of it—and don’t be turned off if you’re not familiar with the story. Alli and Elise both read Troubling a Star, and they’re still not sure how much they know about it.

Elise Hu is a journalist, podcaster, and entrepreneur. Host of TED Talks Daily and co-host of Forever 35, Elise also recently published Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. Follow her on Instagram @elisewho.

CHECK OUT ELISE’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS MADELEINE L’ENGLE EPISODES:

Episode 15: A Wrinkle in Time

Episode 184: A Ring of Endless Light

CHECK OUT ELISE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

What Looks Like Bravery: An Epic Journey Through Loss to Love by Laurel Braitman

Toward Eternity by Anton Hur

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

Thick: And Other Essays by Tressie McMillan Cottom

MORE READING:

“Troubling a Star, by Madeleine L’Engle” (Pickle Me This, 2019)

“Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle” (Fill Your Bookshelf, 2020)

“Troubling a Star” (Kirkus, 1994)

“Book Review: Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle (1994)” (Read-at-Home Mom, 2014)

“The Creepy Authoritarianism of Madeleine L’Engle” (The Paris Review, 2019)

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As you wish(ed), listeners, it’s time to unpack The Princess Bride. Alli and her guest focus on the 1973 novel by William Goldman but bring in lots of context from the cult classic movie, as well. Adventures, unreasonable beauty standards, metanarratives, beloved characters, and iconic lines abound!

Georgia Clark is an award-winning, six-times published novelist and performer. She’s the author of Island Time, It Had to Be You, The Regulars, The Bucket List, and others. Her latest novel, Most Wonderful, is now out and ready to claim its spot on your holiday season TBR. Follow Georgia on Instagram @georgialouclark.

CHECK OUT GEORGIA’S BOOKS:

Island Time

It Had to Be You

The Regulars

The Bucket List

Most Wonderful

CHECK OUT GEORGIA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

All Fours by Miranda July

Whoever You Are, Honey by Olivia Gatwood

The Prospects by Kt Hoffman

Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London

MORE READING:

“Book Review: The Princess Bride by William Goldman” (Lara’s Wanderings, 2020)

“The Princess Bride: We love the book and the film” (Fantasy Literature)

“The Princess Bride at 50” (Quillette, 2023)

“Book Review — The Princess Bride by William Goldman” (Muse With Me, 2018)

“The Princess Bride: The ‘Good Parts’” (Out of the Box, 2017)

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Almost seven years into SSR, we’ve covered almost all of Judy Blume’s kid lit masterpieces. On Episode 298, Alli and her guest dive into a Blume novel that feels like something of an outlier: Tiger Eyes, which was published in 1981. In it, Judy takes a darker tone, exploring matters of violence, loss, hypocrisy, and mental health. Tune in to learn more about how Tiger Eyes stands apart from the rest of Blume’s beloved backlist and what makes it special.

TW: infertility, gun violence, substance abuse, anxiety, depression

Courtney Preiss is the author of Welcome Home, Caroline Kline. Follow her on Instagram @cocogolightly.

CHECK OUT COURTNEY’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT COURTNEY’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Wedding People by Alison Espach

So Thirsty by Rachel Harrison

MORE READING:

“Life in Books: Tiger Eyes” (Much Madness is Divinest Sense, 2010)

“Judy Blume Hits The Big Screen With Tiger Eyes Adaptation” (NPR, 2013)

“Tiger Eyes: Judy Blume’s book and its film adaptation” (American Indians in Children’s Literature, 2012)

“Willa Holland Tells Us All About Starring in the Judy Blume Flick Tiger Eyes” (Teen Vogue, 2013)

“Judy Blume on the Tiger Eyes Film, What She’s Reading, and Why Moms Can’t Get Their Daughters to Read Her Books” (Vanity Fair, 2013)

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At long last, it's John Green time! Episode 297 unpacks Looking for Alaska, the YA superstar's award-winning debut novel. Conversations range from manic pixie dream girls and the male gaze to addiction and the problematic language that made Alli and her guest cringe in 2024.

TW: suicide, addiction, parental loss

Alissa DeRogatis is the author of Call It What You Want. Subscribe to her Substack newsletter

Probably Oversharing and follow her on Instagram @alissaderogatis.

CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT ALISSA’S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:

Old Enough by Haley Jakobson

It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini

OTHER BOOK SHOUTOUTS:

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Magnolia Parks by Jessa Hastings

MORE READING:

“Looking for Alaska” (Kirkus, 2005)

“Book Nook: Looking for Alaska” (Shorewood Ripples, 2022)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green” (Of Whiskey and Words)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska by John Green” (A Paper Arrow, 2019)

“Looking for Alaska by John Green — review” (The Guardian, 2013)

“Looking for Alaska” (School Library Journal, 2005)

“Book Review for Teens: John Green Looking for Alaska” (Your Teen, 2014)

“Book Review: Looking for Alaska” (Sara du Jour, 2014)

“How Hulu’s Looking for Alaska Updates John Green’s Book for a New Generation” (Time, 2019)

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You already know that Ramona Quimby is curious, precocious, hilarious, and bold... but now she gets to be brave, too. On Episode 296, Alli and her guest take a close look at the third book in Beverly Cleary's beloved Ramona series, Ramona the Brave. There's classroom enemies, feminism, craft projects, scary new bedrooms, and big moments of self-esteem. What more could you want?

Jessie Rosen is a writer, producer, educator, and speaker. Her novel The Heirloom is available wherever books are sold. Follow Jessie on Instagram @jessierosenwriter.

CHECK OUT OUR PREVIOUS RAMONA EPISODES:

Episode 18: Beezus and Ramona (with Penny Luksic)

Episode 253: Ramona the Pest (with Kara Alloway)

CHECK OUT JESSIE’S BOOK HERE!

CHECK OUT JESSIE’S BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

There’s Nothing Wrong With Her by Kate Weinberg

MORE READING:

“Beverly Cleary Made It OK To Be A Ramona In A World Of Susans” (BuzzFeed News, 2021)

“How Ramona Quimby Helps Kids Make Sense of This Unstable World” (Literary Hub, 2019)

“Ramona the Brave” (Kirkus, 1975)

“Book Review: Ramona the Brave” (A Journey of Words, 2023)

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**Please note that the Bookshop.org links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through these links. Please do not feel inclined to purchase unless you are excited to add these books to your TBR list!**

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Abby and Alli welcome their first-ever guest to the WriTing Friends series for a conversation about the publishing process, astrology, and everything in between.

Carinn Jade is the co-host of Pop Fiction Women and the author of The Astrology House. Follow her on Instagram @carinnjade.

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Longtime listeners know that Sarah Dessen books always, always bring the spice and juicy discussion to the podcast. This episode is no exception as Alli and her guest dish about 1998's Someone Like You. The book tackles a lot of issues—and we try to do the same on today's show. Topics include bad boyfriends, intense friendships, losing your virginity, teen pregnancy, and tension between kids and parents.

Aurora Palit's debut novel Sunshine and Spice is now available wherever books are sold. Follow her on Instagram @aurorapalit.

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Jump aboard Episode 293 for a transatlantic voyage on the gorgeous writing of kid lit GOAT, Sharon Creech. This week, it's all about her 2000 Newbery Honor winner, The Wanderer, and the big thinking it inspires. Alli and her guest dive into discussions of trauma, accidental feminism, real-world fantasy, diary-style writing, and so much more.

Charlee Dyroff is the author of Loneliness & Company. Follow her on Instagram @charleedyroff.

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Join Alli and her guest for a trip to one of our favorite settings: Stonybrook, Connecticut—home of the Baby-Sitters Club. This time, the discussion focuses on the fourth book in Ann M. Martin's beloved series, Mary Anne Saves the Day, which is a critical text in the BSC cinematic universe. Tune in to Episode 292 to hear us talk about Mary Anne's day-saving efforts, as well as conflict resolution, crisis situations before cell phones, the big Dawn intro, messages about bodies and beauty, found family, and (as always) so much more.

Afoma Eme-Umesi is a writer, voracious reader, and the founder of Reading Middle Grade, a website dedicated to sharing books for middle grade readers. Afoma loves contemporary realistic fiction and will never say no to a graphic novel. Follow her on Instagram @whatafomareads, check out Reading Middle Grade's Patreon, and sign up for her newsletter.

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At long last, we tackle the final book in the original Hunger Games trilogy: Mockingjay. This is a heavy book, so there's lots to get into in this episode: cycles of violence, the consequences of war, what it means to be a symbol, PTSD, and plenty of moral ambiguity. And it wouldn't be a Hunger Games episode (of course) without a Team Gale vs. Team Peeta debate—and this one gets especially spicy!

TW: suicide, PTSD, trauma

E.B. Asher is the pen name for the writing trio of Bridget Morrissey, Emily Wibberley, and Austin Siegemund-Broka, all of whom have written many books under their own names. This Will Be Fun is their debut novel under the E.B. Asher pseudonym. Follow their work on Instagram @eb_asher.

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Welcome back to SSR: WriTing Friends! This time around, Alli and Abby are digging a little deeper into one of their favorite elements of the writing process: creating characters. They discuss what inspires their characters, how they create nuanced fictional people, and what it's like to find compassion for antagonists. They also consider the challenges that come with being more drawn to characters than plot and how much their characters resemble themselves.

Follow Abby on Instagram @shmab and @abookwolfe.

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It’s been too long since we paid a visit to Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield in good old Sweet Valley, California. Let’s fix that! Episode 289 covers the twenty-eighth installment in Francine Pascal’s beloved series, Alone in the Crowd, a book that explores insecurity, songwriting, the complicated nature of mother/daughter relationships, and rocking chair fundraisers. Alli and her guest find much to clown on here and it’s a truly excellent time.

TW: suicide

One of Alli’s all-time favorite authors is on the pod today! Claire Lombardo is the New York Times bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had—a Reese’s Book Club pick—and Same As It Ever Was. She’s taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and works part-time as a bookseller at Prairie Lights. Follow her on Instagram @claire_lombardo.

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This special bonus episode features Rachelle Bergstein, author of the new book The Genius of Judy. In it, Alli and Rachelle cover all things related to SSR queen JUDY BLUME! They chat about Judy's journey to publication, the process of researching her career, their favorite (and maybe least favorite) Judy books, the Blume legacy, feminism, book bans, and more.

Rachelle Bergstein is also the author of Women from the Ankle Down and Brilliance and Fire. Follow her on Instagram @rachellewb.

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This week, SSR gets a jump on Halloween festivities with a long overdue trip to R.L. Stine’s Fear Street. Specifically, Episode 288 is all about the first title in the series, The New Girl, in which a lovesick teenager falls for a villain disguised as a manic pixie dream girl. The book takes us into conversations about the horror genre as a whole, stranger danger, friend zoning, missing adults, men’s gymnastics, teen hormones, and more.

TW: potential abuse, dead animals

Claire Kann is the author of several novels—most recently, Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places. She’s an award-winning online storyteller whose favorite stories are the kind about everyday life with just a touch of supernatural in the details. Follow her on Instagram @kannclaire.

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Colleen McKeegan returns this week to celebrate another book hitting the shelves and to unpack another one of her favorite summer reads from childhood. This time, it's Fearless by Francine Pascal (RIP!)—the first title in a series of the same name that explores the nature of fear, social anxiety, vigilantism, and (of course) the dramas of teenage romance. Alli and Colleen also chat about power dynamics, New York fantasies, Sweet Valley similarities and differences, and more.

Colleen McKeegan is the author of Rip Tide and The Wild One. Follow her on Instagram (@clmckeegan).

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On the second installment of our SSR: WriTing Friends series, Alli and Abby focus on the writing process: plotting, pantsing, and everything in between. They talk about their own approaches to writing fiction, how those approaches might continue to evolve over time, how we learn from characters, the importance of maintaining forward motion in our work, killing our darlings, and more. Abby also shares a milestone moment in her writing journey.

Follow Abby on Instagram @shmab and @abookwolfe.

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Let's talk about How to Eat Fried Worms! Thomas Rockwell's 1973 book has never been out-of-print, which is a pretty big deal. On Episode 285, Alli and her guest discuss this little morsel of a novel that really is as simple as its title. They talk about gendered book marketing, how the book might be different in 2024, banned books, betting in childhood, and the expectation for morality lessons in kid lit.

Morgan Matson is a New York Times bestselling author of books for teen and tween readers. Her latest releases are The Ballad of Darcy and Russell and The Firefly Summer in paperback. Follow her on Instagram (@morgamat).

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By popular demand, we are finally covering Scott Westerfeld's Uglies! Alli and her guests talk about the book's unique place in the broader dystopian genre, consider its lack of diversity, and analyze the many messages it sends about everything from body image and aging to beauty standards and friendship.

This week's guests are Neha and Shruti, the co-hosts of The Novel Tea podcast. They bonded over their love of books in middle school, became best friends, and have been reading together ever since. They started their podcast to diversify and deepen their reading lives and to expand what we all think of as "classics." Listen to Novel Tea wherever you find your favorite pods and follow the show on Instagram (@thenoveltea.pod).

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This week, SSR takes it all the way back to 1961 for a discussion about a classic: J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey. Alli and her guest talk about the book’s publishing history and deep dive into its content: insufferable men, existential dread, the nature of wisdom, quarter-life crises, and emotional states best shared via AIM away message.

TW: suicide, depression

Sheila is the author of the novels The Goddess Effect and Friends in Napa, which Mindy Kaling called “smart and wildly entertaining… like drinking a glass of wine with an endlessly witty, scandalous friend.” Her work has appeared in many publications, including Vogue, The New Yorker, and The New York Times. Sheila lives in Los Angeles with her husband and you can follow her on Instagram @sheilaym.

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Welcome to the first episode of SSR: WriTing Friends! This new monthly series—co-hosted by Abby Wolfe—is a fun look at the writing process from multiple perspectives and stops along the way. Broadly speaking, our goal with WTF is to make the writing process transparent at every stage and to further connect readers and writers in this community and beyond.

In this inaugural episode, Abby shares more about herself and her writing life with listeners! Alli and Abby also talk more about their vision for WTF going forward, their thoughts on genre, and Alli’s DNF era.

Follow Abby on Instagram @shmab and @abookwolfe.

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Timed appropriately (and accidentally) with the 4th of July holiday, Episode 281 is a return to the beloved Dear America series! This time, Alli and her guest tag along on a frankly miserable journey on the Mayflower with Remember Patience Whipple in 1620. The book is A Journey to the New World and it was written by Kathryn Lasky and published in 1996. Former Scholastic book fair fans will especially enjoy this walk (cruise?) down memory lane in spite of its many sad moments.

TW: suicide, depression, grief, loss of a parent

Olivia Muenter is a writer, reader, and a co-host of the Bad on Paper podcast. Her first novel Such a Bad Influence is available wherever books are sold. In her free time, you can find her working on her old house in the Hudson Valley, where she lives with her husband and her dog. Follow her on Instagram @oliviamuenter.

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For the first time this year, we’re back to Stoney Brook with our favorite sitters! The fifty-sixth book in the series explores blatant racism… while the girls produce a musical with their young charges. There’s a lot going on! Episode 280 breaks down the way race and racism are portrayed in Ann M. Martin’s fictional world, looking closely at which sitters bear the brunt of the responsibility for explaining prejudice, if the author does a disservice to other sitters by making them so naive, and what young readers can learn from stories like Keep Out, Claudia!

Melissa Mogollon holds an MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a BA from the George Washington University. Originally from Colombia and raised in Florida, she now teaches at a boarding school in Rhode Island, where she lives with her partner and dog. She is passionate about education, youth empowerment, Rihanna, and ceviche. Oye is her first novel. Follow her on Instagram (@melissamogollonwriter).

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Like the book at its center, Episode 279 will feel like a warm hug! Kate is back, this week to discuss the Newbery Medal-winning The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. The conversation covers everything from dysfunctional families and empathy to fairy tale tropes and the author's origin story.

Kate Czyzewski is an educator turned bookstore manager and event coordinator at Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, NJ. Follow her @thesaltybookworm.

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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a bookseller at an independent bookstore? Kate from Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, NJ—who you might also recognize as @thesaltybookworm—is on SSR to answer all of your questions! Kate tells us…

* How she transitioned from being a teacher to a bookseller

* How the team chooses backlist titles to stock in the store

* How she comes up with the perfect recommendations for customers

* What she does when she doesn’t know anything about (or like!) a book requested by a customer

* The throwback reads young bookworms still request in the store

* Her favorite and least favorite parts of the job

* What it’s like to plan author events

… and so much more! Kate also shares a summer reading preview!

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If you’ve been missing SSR’s signature approach to the literary throwbacks of your teen and tween years, the wait is over! Episode 277 marks our official return to the pod’s usual format—and this time, it’s all about Gail Carson Levine’s The Two Princesses of Bamarre. Published in 2001, the book is a story of bravery and sisterhood, and it creates space for conversations about so many of our favorite tropes from kid lit of the early aughts. Alli and her guest also explore the connection between fairy retellings (like Gail Carson Levine’s work, including Ella Enchanted) and the wildly popular romantasy trend of 2024 (think Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses).

Chelsey Feder of @chelseyreads, Novel Pairings, and The Eclectic Reader is back for a record-breaking FOURTH appearance!

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SSR is back after Alli’s maternity leave! We’ll be back to discuss a new literary throwback next week, but we’re kicking things off (again!) with a little catch-up session. Chelsey Feder of @chelseyreads and Novel Pairings plays co-host to help bring the SSR community up to speed on what’s been happening since you last tuned into the podcast.

Alli and Chelsey discuss two major developments in Alli’s life, as well as what her reading routine has looked like recently. You’ll also hear more about what to expect from this new chapter of SSR.

Big thanks to Chelsey for joining as co-host for this special episode… and to all of YOU for your patience and support!

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Thanks to all of the listeners who participated in this year’s crowd-sourced episode: Abby, Diane, Julia, Holly, Kat, Shira, and Tracey.

Tune in to hear them answer questions about their favorite childhood reading, times when they disagreed with the podcast, book recommendations for 2024, and more!

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For the final book episode of 2023, Alli and her guest turn their attention to a real classic: Betty Smith’s A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. It’s the first time reading the 1943 semi-autobiographical novel for both of them… and there’s a lot to discuss in this hefty volume! Topics of conversation include imperfect adults, the importance of education, pragmatism vs. idealism, the evolution of our language around mental health, financial insecurity, red flags, anti-Semitism, and how they might have experienced a book like this had they read it as children.

TW: addiction, death of a parent, infant loss

Ore Agbaje-Williams is the author of The Three of Us. Follow her on Instagram (@oreawilliams).

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At long last, Alli and her guest turn their attention to a book that’s been requested many times by listeners: Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Among the Hidden. The first installment in the Shadow Children series, Among the Hidden explores the consequences of a totalitarian government taking extreme measures to combat (alleged) overpopulation. Episode 273 covers everything from reproductive rights and propaganda to the history of dystopian literature and different types of activism.

Claire Ahn is the author of I Guess I Live Here Now. Follow her on Instagram (@cuhlaireahn).

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With New Reads November 2023 behind us, we’re back to throwbacks, starting with Roald Dahl’s Fantastic Mr. Fox. Alli’s guest recently read the 1970 novel with her own children… and she has thoughts. Episode 272 features conversations about gender representation, fatphobia, the power of illustrations, violence, and the glorification of stealing.

Bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto is known for a number of books, including Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Dial A for Aunties, and The Obsession. Her latest YA novel is called Didn’t See That Coming. Follow her on Instagram (@jesseqsutanto) and Twitter (@thewritinghippo).

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It’s the grand finale of SSR’s New Reads November 2023… and the perfect time to discuss Talia Hibbert’s YA debut, Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute. With a trio of fantastic guests, Alli gets into the details of the book’s plot and pays special attention to OCD representation, outdoorsy scholarship experiences, romance tropes, and the extent to which there are two sides to every story.

Thanks to Brittany (@britsgotbooks), Cait (@whatcaitreads), and Shira (@shira243) for being part of this first-ever Patreon episode of the podcast! Join the Patreon family to get in on the fun HERE.

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Week 3 of New Reads November takes a very close, very fun look at Maurene Goo’s Throwback. The book inspires conversations about everything from the complicated nature of mother/daughter relationships and empathy between generations to high school homecoming experiences and the tension between conformity and standing out. Alli and her guest also consider who Throwback is meant for and discuss the book’s origin story.

Becca Freeman is the author of The Christmas Orphans Club and co-host of the Bad on Paper podcast. Follow her on Instagram (@beccamfreeman).

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Week 2 of New Reads November 2023 is all about Joelle Wellington’s Their Vicious Games. The book feels like a real return to the heyday of YA, with the addition of organic, fresh threads about class, race, and privilege. On Episode 269, Alli and her guest do plenty of fangirling over the book and discuss concepts like performative allyship, white saviorism, satire, and more.

Erin La Rosa is the author of For Butter or Worse and Plot Twist. Follow her on Instagram (@erinlarosalit) and Twitter (@erinlarosalit).

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New Reads November is BACK for a SIXTH year!

This time around, we get things rolling with a conversation about Camryn Garrett’s Friday I’m in Love, which was published in January 2023. The book inspires conversations about “coming out narratives,” casual racism, self-aware narrators, the subversion of tropes about sweet sixteens, and the pressures that many teens experience. Alli’s guest also takes her behind-the-scenes of how he writes for the YA audience!

Eliot Schrefer is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of books for young people, including his latest, Charming Young Man. Follow him on Instagram (@schrefer) and Twitter (@EliotSchrefer).

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On this special bonus episode, Alli is joined by Sara Hildreth of Fiction Matters and the Novel Pairings podcast! As she prepares to take a brief podcast maternity leave in early 2024, Alli looks to Sara for advice on how to manage a pause in sharing content with her community. They take you behind-the-scenes of the business of podcasting, Patreon, Substack, and more!

Follow Sara on Instagram (@fictionmatters).

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Listener favorites Allison and Mary from Dolls of Our Lives are BACK for Episode 267! This time around, they join Alli to discuss Danger at the Zoo: A Kit Mystery, a 2005 installment in the American Girl Mysteries series that was written by Kathleen Ernst. They talk broadly about Kit’s storyline and the AG mysteries as an offshoot of the rest of the American Girl series. In the context of Danger at the Zoo, they also chat about kid journalism, the Depression, the history of the word “hobo,” and more.

Allison Horrocks and Mary Mahoney are the co-hosts of the Dolls of Our Lives podcast and the authors of Dolls of Our Lives: Why We Can’t Quit American Girl. Follow the podcast on Instagram (@dollsofourlivespodcast) and Twitter (@DollsLivesPod).

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On this special episode, Alli answers listener questions about…

* How she handles tricky situations with podcast guests
* Whether she would rather deal with a boring book or a boring guest
* The books she’s most excited to share with Baby K
* The best marriage advice she’s ever received
* The books that are still on her podcast wish list
* Her current thoughts on Bethenny Frankel
* How to get started with writing fiction

… and so much more!

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On Episode 265, Alli and her guest explore a new side of all-time kid lit rock star Beverly Cleary — a more ~mature~ side! This week, the focus is one of Cleary’s books for teen readers, Fifteen. The conversation covers everything from awkward first date moments and ‘50s crush etiquette to class undercurrents and the importance of confidence. Alli and her guest also unpack a hard-to-read scene set in a Chinese restaurant.

Alison Rose Greenberg is the author of Bad Luck Bridesmaid and Maybe Once, Maybe Twice. Follow her on Instagram (@alison.greenberg) and Twitter (@alisongreenberg).

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Let’s get back to the Upper East Side, listeners! Episode 264 explores the fourth book in the bestselling Gossip Girl series, Because I’m Worth It. Alli and her guest consider the specific place that Gossip Girl occupies in their shared millennial pop culture history and talk through some especially disturbing parts of the book.

Jamie Lilac is the author of Bellegarde. Follow her on Instagram (@jamie_lilac).

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On Episode 263, Alli’s guest walks her through the first installment of one of her all-time favorite series: Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small. They discuss the ins and outs of First Test, as well as why the book has meant so much to the guest over the years. They also talk about toxic masculinity, the importance of quiet good deeds, protagonists who can work through their fears, and the significance of the First Test heroine’s choice to wear a dress during her knight training.

Huda Fahmy’s latest graphic novel Huda F Are You? joins Huda F Cares and That Can Be Arranged on shelves. Follow her on Instagram (@yesimhotinthis) and Twitter (@yesimhotinthis).

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Five years after our first foray into the world of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, SSR finally returns to the Twilight universe. At long last, Alli and her guest take a look at 2006’s New Moon, the book that gave Team Jacob Twihards their moment in the spotlight. Tune in for conversations about mental health, toxic relationships, and more, along with a moment for the Team Edward vs. Team Jacob debate.

Emma Noyes is the author of The Sunken City, The Fallen Witch, and the forthcoming Guy’s Girl. Follow her on Instagram (@emmanoyesmaybe).

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At long last, Episode 261 dives into the oft-requested All-of-a-Kind Family, the 1951 novel by Sydney Taylor that represented an important step for Jewish representation. Conversation topics range from model minorities and fatphobia to Jewish holidays and shocking romantic twists.

Taleen Voskuni is the author of Sorry, Bro. Follow her on Instagram (@taleenauthor) and Twitter (@taleenvoskuni).

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Let’s have a Judy Blume moment, shall we? Episode 260 takes a close look at the iconic author’s 1972 “divorce book,” It’s Not the End of the World. Alli and her guest discuss the ways in which our conversations with kids about divorce have changed… but also the ways they’ve stayed the same! They also talk about the emotional immaturity of the adults in the book, kid psychology, imperfect parents, and the importance of centering children’s feelings.

TW: markers for domestic abuse

Laura Taylor Namey is the New York Times and international bestselling author of Reese’s Book Club pick A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow, The Library of Lost Things, When We Were Them, and the forthcoming A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak. Follow her on Instagram (@laura_namey).

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