Each week, freelance writer and lifelong bookworm Alli Hoff Kosik will challenge a guest to reread a literary throwback or to experience for the first time ever a book they may have missed as a kid. After that, they'll be asked to spill all the feels and all the opinions about that book on the air for your podcast-listening pleasure. Every Tuesday, you can find us breaking down an old school read from our tween and teen days on a new episode of the show. We'll cover everything from The Baby- ...
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Episode 290: WTF #3 | (Main) Character Energy
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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 challe…
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Episode 289: Alone in the Crowd (Sweet Valley High #28)
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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…
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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 ban…
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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, …
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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 r…
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Episode 286: WTF #2 | Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsing or Plotting
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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 w…
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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 child…
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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…
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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: su…
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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 …
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Episode 281: A Journey to the New World (Dear America)
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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 1…
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Episode 280: Keep Out, Claudia! (Baby-Sitters Club #56)
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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…
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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 manag…
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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 …
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Episode 277: The Two Princesses of Bamarre
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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 …
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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 …
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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!Alli Hoff Kosik による
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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, pra…
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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 2…
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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. Bes…
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Episode 271: Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute (New Reads November)
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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 w…
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Episode 270: Throwback (New Reads November)
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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 co…
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Episode 269: Their Vicious Games (New Reads November)
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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 s…
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Episode 268: Friday I'm in Love (New Reads November)
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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 …
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BONUS EPISODE: Behind-the-Scenes of Bookish Content Creation + Maternity Leave Plans
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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,…
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Episode 267: Danger at the Zoo: A Kit Mystery (American Girl Mysteries)
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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 th…
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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 curr…
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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 …
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Episode 264: Because I'm Worth It (Gossip Girl #4)
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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 …
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Episode 263: First Test (Protector of the Small #1)
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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, protagoni…
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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…
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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 …
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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 adult…
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Episode 259 centers around The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett! Originally published in 1911, this is one of the oldest books covered on the podcast yet, making it a unique case for discussion. Alli and her guest talk about the notion of “classics” as a whole, as well as colonialism, disability, manifestation, the supernatural, unlikable k…
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Episode 258: Surprise Island (The Boxcar Children #2)
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For the first time in YEARS, SSR once again takes on Gertrude Chandler Warner’s beloved Boxcar Children series. Episode 258 is all about the second installment, Surprise Island… and the biggest surprise of all might just be that it’s a pretty quiet story! All aboard for the discussion about the general appeal of the Boxcar Children, gender roles, w…
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Episode 257: Jessi and the Jewel Thieves (Baby-Sitters Club Mystery #8)
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Tune in for a special announcement in the episode intro! Get ready to investigate, listeners, because we’re revisiting the Baby-Sitters Club Mystery spin-off series. Episode 257 is all about Jessi and the Jewel Thieves, in which BSC junior officer Jessi Ramsey takes a trip to the Big Apple, plans to break-up with her long-distance BF, and somehow m…
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On Episode 256, Alli and her guest cover not just one throwback read, but a whole series of them! Adventurers and decisive bookworms, this one’s for you, because it’s time to take a walk down memory lane to chat about the Choose Your Own Adventure series. This episode offers lots of insight into the history of these books, along with why so many ki…
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On Episode 255, Alli and her guest consider Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey’s Cheaper By the Dozen… and it’s absolutely nothing like the romp of a Steve Martin movie you remember from your childhood. Instead, the book that inspired the movie(s) opens up conversations about the problematic nature of efficiency experts, narcissism, the…
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Episode 254: The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5)
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Buckle up for some real darkness this week, listeners, because we’re heading back to the world of Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events! Episode 254 is all about the fifth installment in the series, The Austere Academy, in which the Baudelaire orphans are dropped off at an absurdly horrendous boarding school. Join Alli and her guest as th…
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Join us on Episode 253 for a nostalgic journey back to Beverly Cleary’s Klickitat Street, more specifically, a discussion about the 1968 classic Ramona the Pest. Alli and her guest discuss their favorite Ramona-isms, fangirl over this self-aware young heroine, and chat about the many things that Cleary gets so incredibly right about childhood. Kara…
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Grab your favorite pens, markers, and stickers and prepare to jump back into the pages of Amelia’s Notebook! Listen to Episode 252 for a cozy, nostalgic visit back to the days of handwritten documentation and old school creativity. It’s a super fun ride that features discussions about likability, sass, jelly roll noses, and more. Mikki Hernandez is…
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SSR is BACK from summer break and jumping right into a conversation about 2009’s Beautiful Creatures, a southern gothic novel that explores witchcraft, first love, and teen angst. Tune in to hear Alli and her guest discuss everything from revisionist history and slut shaming to the “not like other girls” trope and iPods. They also discuss one major…
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Five years of the podcast and 250 episodes… it’s a big week! And what better way to celebrate than by revisiting one of Alli’s deep cut childhood favorites, Joan Bauer’s Hope Was Here? Join the party as Alli and her guest take a sweet walk down memory lane with the help of this Newbery Honor book, covering topics ranging from Gilmore Girls parallel…
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The subject matter of Episode 249 is HEAVY because it mirrors the equally heavy subject matter of Lurlene McDaniel’s long career in YA “sick lit.” More specifically, Alli and her guest chat about Six Months to Live, the 1985 novel that began the Dawn Rochelle series. In it, seventh grader Dawn is diagnosed with cancer and forced to completely reord…
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The SSR Podcast has spent no shortage of time on Ann M. Martin’s Baby-Sitters Club and their idyllic life in Stonybrook, Connecticut… but what happens when we take one member of the BSC to the west coast? Well, you get the California Diaries series. On Episode 248, Alli and her guest discuss the first installment of that series, Dawn. Their convers…
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On Episode 247, Alli finally gets the chance to revisit a book that’s been at the top of her personal SSR wish list for years: Bloomability by Sharon Creech. With the help of her guest, Alli follows main character Dinnie on a journey from her nomadic life in the U.S. to a Swiss boarding school, where she makes new friends, is forced to see her fami…
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Episode 246 takes a sweeping look at the mystery genre and Agatha Christie, paying special attention to a book that has made many a teenager a mystery fan over the last decades: And Then There Were None. Alli and her guests — whose recent work was inspired by Agatha Christie — talk about reading and writing mysteries. They also discuss the racist l…
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Let’s talk about the eerie world of Ally Condie’s Matched! In it, main character Cassia Reyes anticipates her Match Banquet, during which Officials from the Society in which she lives will dictate her future husband. The Officials are responsible for just about everything in Cassia and her community’s lives… but the events of the Match Banquet kick…
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At long last, the podcast turns its attention back to Mia Thermopolis with a conversation about the second book in Meg Cabot’s beloved Princess Diaries series, Princess in the Spotlight. Alli and her guest cover core reading memories, toxic best friends, secret admirers, the world of AIM, sick days, sex talks, public platforms, and fancy weddings. …
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Prepare to swoon, listeners, because Episode 243 is all about sweet summer romance! Alli and her guest gush about Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty, which they both read for the first time for the show. They reflect about the significance of summers in their own lives and cover everything from the male gaze and tankinis to love interests and f…
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