Podcasts by The SSR Podcast
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-Sitters Club to Holes, Nancy Drew to Harry Potter. This time around, we're a little wiser (yay!), a lot older (ugh.), and of legal age to drink wine... so we'll have a lot to say. Happy Reading!
Further podcasts by Alli Hoff Kosik
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Episode 273: Among the Hidden from 2023-12-12T07:00
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 Listen
Episode 272: Fantastic Mr. Fox from 2023-12-05T07:00
With New Reads November 2023 behind us, we’re back to throwbacks, starting with Roald Dahl’s Listen
Episode 271: Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute (New Reads November) from 2023-11-28T07:00
It’s the grand finale of SSR’s New Reads November 2023… and the perfect time to discuss Talia Hibbert’s YA debut, Listen
Episode 270: Throwback (New Reads November) from 2023-11-21T07:00
Week 3 of New Reads November takes a very close, very fun look at Maurene Goo’s Th...
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Episode 269: Their Vicious Games (New Reads November) from 2023-11-14T07:00
Week 2 of New Reads November 2023 is all about Joelle Wellington’s Their Vicious G...
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Episode 268: Friday I'm in Love (New Reads November) from 2023-11-07T07:00
New Reads November is BACK for a SIXTH year!
This time around, we get things rolling with a conversation about...
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BONUS EPISODE: Behind-the-Scenes of Bookish Content Creation + Maternity Leave Plans from 2023-11-03T06:00
On this special bonus episode, Alli is joined by Sara Hildreth of Fiction Matters and the Listen
Episode 267: Danger at the Zoo: A Kit Mystery (American Girl Mysteries) from 2023-10-31T06:00
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 ...
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Episode 266: Fall 2023 Q+A! from 2023-10-24T06:00
On this special episode, Alli answers listener questions about…
* How she handles tricky situations with podca...
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Episode 265: Fifteen from 2023-10-17T06:00
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 C...
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Episode 264: Because I'm Worth It (Gossip Girl #4) from 2023-10-10T06:00
Let’s get back to the Upper East Side, listeners! Episode 264 explores the fourth book in the bestselling Gossip Girl series, Listen
Episode 263: First Test (Protector of the Small #1) from 2023-10-03T06:00
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 d...
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Episode 262: New Moon from 2023-09-26T06:00
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 g...
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Episode 261: All-of-a-Kind Family from 2023-09-19T06:00
At long last, Episode 261 dives into the oft-requested All-of-a-Kind Family Listen
Episode 260: It's Not the End of the World from 2023-09-12T06:00
Let’s have a Judy Blume moment, shall we? Episode 260 takes a close look at the iconic author’s 1972 “divorce book,” Listen
Episode 259: The Secret Garden from 2023-09-05T06:00
Episode 259 centers around The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett! ...
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Episode 258: Surprise Island (The Boxcar Children #2) from 2023-08-29T06:00
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 install...
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Episode 257: Jessi and the Jewel Thieves (Baby-Sitters Club Mystery #8) from 2023-08-22T06:00
Tune in for a special announcement in the episode intro!
Get ready to investigate, listeners, because we’re re...
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Episode 256: Choose Your Own Adventure from 2023-08-15T06:00
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, b...
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Episode 255: Cheaper By the Dozen from 2023-08-08T06:00
On Episode 255, Alli and her guest consider Frank B. Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey’s Listen
Episode 254: The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events #5) from 2023-08-01T06:00
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 ...
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Episode 253: Ramona the Pest from 2023-07-25T06:00
Join us on Episode 253 for a nostalgic journey back to Beverly Cleary’s Klickitat Street, more specifically, a discussion about the 1968 classic Listen
Episode 252: Amelia's Notebook from 2023-07-18T06:00
Grab your favorite pens, markers, and stickers and prepare to jump back into the pages of Listen
Episode 251: Beautiful Creatures from 2023-07-11T06:00
SSR is BACK from summer break and jumping right into a conversation about 2009’s B...
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Episode 250: Hope Was Here from 2023-06-27T06:00
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...
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Episode 249: Six Months to Live from 2023-06-20T06:00
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 spe...
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Episode 248: Dawn (California Diaries) from 2023-06-13T06:00
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...
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Episode 247: Bloomability from 2023-06-06T06:00
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: Listen
Episode 246: And Then There Were None from 2023-05-30T06:00
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 ...
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Episode 245: Matched from 2023-05-23T06:00
Let’s talk about the eerie world of Ally Condie’s Matched! In it, main ch...
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Episode 244: Princess in the Spotlight from 2023-05-16T06:00
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 ser...
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Episode 243: The Summer I Turned Pretty from 2023-05-09T06:00
Prepare to swoon, listeners, because Episode 243 is all about sweet summer romance! Alli and her guest gush about Jenny Han’s Listen
Episode 242: Emily of New Moon from 2023-05-02T06:00
Episode 242 is all about L.M. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon. With the he...
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Episode 241: Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle from 2023-04-25T06:00
Is your child talking back? Refusing to bathe? Staying up past their bedtime? Call Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, the star of Betty MacDonald’s 1947 novel Listen
Episode 240: The Truth About Stacey (The Baby-Sitters Club #3) from 2023-04-18T06:00
Whether you’re looking for lessons in beating your competition in business, being an advocate for your own health, designing a Kid Kit, or simply being the...
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Episode 239: Flowers in the Attic from 2023-04-11T06:00
Episode 239 takes a close look at the polarizing 1979 novel by V.C. Andrews, Flowe...
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Episode 238: Dear Sister (Sweet Valley High #7) from 2023-04-04T06:00
There’s never a dull moment in Sweet Valley, California… and there’s never a dull moment on SSR when Alli and her guests dive into the Sweet Valley High se...
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Episode 237: Baby-Sitters on Board! (Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #1) from 2023-03-28T06:00
Baby-Sitters Club Super Specials take the standard BSC format and make them even more, well, super… by alternating POVs so readers get takes from all of th...
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Episode 236: Catching Fire from 2023-03-21T06:00
Published in 2013, Catching Fire was the follow-up to Suzanne Collins’s w...
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Episode 235: Just a Summer Romance from 2023-03-14T06:00
Ann M. Martin has written more than just the 100+ titles in the beloved Baby-Sitters Club series. She’s also authored a range of other books, including 198...
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Episode 234: Blubber from 2023-03-07T07:00
In one word, Episode 234 is ICONIC. It brings together YA superstar Meg Cabot with a book written by our queen Judy Blume, Listen
Episode 233: Going Bovine from 2023-02-28T07:00
On this episode, author Carlyn Greenwald joins Alli to discuss one of the weirdest books they’ve ever read: Libba Bray’s Listen
Episode 232: The Broccoli Tapes from 2023-02-21T07:00
On Episode 232, Alli and her guest attempt to analyze her bizarrely vivid memory of Jan Slepian’s The Broccoli Tapes. They discuss loneliness, dea...
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Episode 231: Here's to You, Rachel Robinson from 2023-02-14T07:00
If you thought we’d made it through all of Judy Blume’s iconic kid lit, you thought wrong! As you’ll discover in Episode 231, Alli and her guests still hav...
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Episode 230: Little House in the Big Woods from 2023-02-07T07:00
Join Alli and her guest Jo Piazza for a journey back to the Little House in the Bi...
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Episode 229: Whatever Happened to Janie? from 2023-01-31T07:00
It’s been nearly four years since our episode about The Face on the Milk Carton Listen
Episode 228: The Emerald City of Oz from 2023-01-24T07:00
On Episode 228, join us for another journey to the Land of Oz! This time, our focus is on the seventh book in L. Frank Baum’s series, Listen
Episode 227: Revenge of the Wannabes (The Clique #3) from 2023-01-17T07:00
On Episode 227, guest Iman Hariri-Kia makes a strong case for Lisi Harrison’s Clique series as social commentary and tween empowerment narrative. She and A...
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Episode 226: The Trumpet of the Swan from 2023-01-10T07:00
It’s a new year of throwback reads with SSR! This week, Alli and her guests get things started with a cozy conversation about E.B. White’s Listen
Episode 225: Listenersode 2022! from 2022-12-27T07:00
It’s the FOURTH annual SSR Listenersode, featuring bookish and nostalgic insights from our friends Tracey, Rachel, Margaret, and Julia. What a way to wrap ...
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Episode 224: Wishbone from 2022-12-20T07:00
For our final book episode of 2022, we strap on our walking shoes, grab our dog treats, and take a real stroll down memory lane with everyone’s favorite li...
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Episode 223: The Midwife's Apprentice from 2022-12-13T07:00
Karen Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice was published in 1995 a...
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Episode 222: The Cat Ate My Gymsuit from 2022-12-06T07:00
New Reads November is over… and we’re back to our usual throwback reads! This week, the focus is Paula Danziger’s Listen
Episode 221: See You Yesterday (New Reads November) from 2022-11-29T07:00
It’s the final episode of New Reads November 2022… and we’re making it a grand finale! Alli and her guest discuss Rachel Lynn Solomon’s Listen
Episode 220: Anne of West Philly (New Reads November) from 2022-11-22T07:00
For Week 4 of New Reads November, Alli and her guest talk about Alli’s first-ever graphic novel: Listen
Episode 219: Ophelia After All (New Reads November) from 2022-11-15T07:00
Tune in for Week 3 of SSR’s New Reads November 2022, on which Raquel Marie’s Ophel...
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Episode 218: Kings of B'More (New Reads November) from 2022-11-08T07:00
Week 2 of New Reads November 2022 is all about R. Eric Thomas’s Kings of B’More Listen
Episode 217: Last Night at the Telegraph Club (New Reads November) from 2022-11-01T06:00
Happy New Reads November 2022!
This year, we kick off our annual exploration of recently-published YA and midd...
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Episode 216: L.A. Candy from 2022-10-25T06:00
Episode 216 takes us back to another time and place — more specifically, to Los Angeles circa 2009. Alli and her guest chat about Listen
Episode 215: Double Crossing (Nancy Drew&Hardy Boys SuperMystery #1) from 2022-10-18T06:00
Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys come together for the crossover Super Mysteries series… and on Episode 215, Alli and her guest come together to discuss its f...
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Episode 214: Can't Stay Away (SVH Senior Year #1) from 2022-10-11T06:00
On Episode 214, Alli and her guest go back to Sweet Valley… but they find it grittier and sassier than you’ve seen it before. In the first book of the SVH ...
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Episode 213: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks from 2022-10-04T06:00
On Episode 213, Alli and her guest explore a newer and also lesser-known throwback, E. Lockhart’s Listen
Episode 212: Slumber Party from 2022-09-27T06:00
You are cordially invited to one of the most terrifying slumber parties in history: more specifically, Christopher Pike’s Slumber Party, which was...
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Episode 211: Maniac Magee from 2022-09-20T06:00
Jerry Spinelli’s Maniac Magee was published in 1990 and won the ...
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Episode 210: The Invasion (Animorphs #1) from 2022-09-13T06:00
On Episode 210, Alli and her guest travel back to the ‘90s and share their first experience with the Animorphs—more specifically, the first book in the ser...
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Episode 209: Pippi Longstocking from 2022-09-06T06:00
Pippi Longstocking has been beloved by readers of all ages for decades th...
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Episode 208: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland from 2022-08-30T06:00
Prepare for a trip down the rabbit hole! On Episode 208, Alli and her guest chat all things Listen
Episode 207: Wayside School Is Falling Down from 2022-08-23T06:00
Episode 207 brings us back to Louis Sachar’s Wayside School — more specifically, to his 1989 novel Listen
Episode 206: The Witches from 2022-08-16T06:00
On Episode 206, Alli and her guest get ahead of spooky season with a discussion about Roald Dahl’s Listen
Episode 205: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing from 2022-08-09T06:00
Judy Blume and the Hatcher family are BACK! On Episode 205, Alli and her guest revisit the rowdy world of Listen
Episode 204: Meet Addy (American Girl) from 2022-08-02T06:00
On Episode 204, Alli and her guest dig into all things Addy Walker. They discuss the larger origin story that brought American Girl’s first non-white doll ...
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Episode 203: Summer 2022 Q&A! from 2022-07-26T06:00
We’re overdue for a Q&A episode, so let’s make up for lost time! On Episode 203, Alli answers listener questions about…
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Episode 202: Tall, Dark, and Deadly (Sweet Valley High #126) from 2022-07-19T06:00
Anything can happen when the Wakefield twins are around… including the arrival of a brooding, mysterious vampire who becomes the most popular guy at Sweet ...
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Episode 201: Summer Sisters from 2022-07-12T06:00
SSR is back for year FIVE… and there’s no better way to return from summer break than with a conversation about Judy Blume’s Listen
Episode 200: Just Listen from 2022-06-28T06:00
Cue the confetti and the champagne, because it’s SSR’s TWO-HUNDREDTH episode!
To celebrate, Alli and her guest...
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Episode 199: The Devil's Arithmetic from 2022-06-21T06:00
On Episode 199, a subject matter expert in Jewish identity and culture walks Alli through Jane Yolen’s award-winning Holocaust novel Listen
Episode 198: P.S. Longer Letter Later from 2022-06-14T06:00
Episode 198 is more than a decade in the making! Alli and guest Colleen McKeegan went to high school (and were cheerleaders!) together and have been planni...
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Episode 197: Mandy from 2022-06-07T06:00
Julie Andrews is Mary Poppins, Maria von Trapp, Queen Clarisse, Lady Whistledown… and a beloved author. On Episode 197, Alli and her guest discuss her firs...
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Episode 196: Voyage on the Great Titanic (Dear America) from 2022-05-31T06:00
Episode 196 will make you feel almost as many feels as the blockbuster film Titanic did… and not only because it’s about a book that covers the sa...
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Episode 195: Ready or Not from 2022-05-24T06:00
Whether you’re ready or not… things are about to get both steamy and political on Episode 195. Alli and her guest discuss Meg Cabot’s Listen
Episode 194: The Truth About Forever from 2022-05-17T06:00
Major spoiler alert: The Truth About Forever is officially Alli’...
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Episode 193: The Bungalow Mystery (Nancy Drew #3) from 2022-05-10T06:00
On Episode 193, Alli and her guest explore the third book in the Nancy Drew series,
Episode 192: Starring Sally J. Freedman As Herself from 2022-05-03T06:00
All hail Queen Judy Blume! Episode 192 is all about Judy’s most autobiographical novel, Listen
Episode 191: Hoot from 2022-04-26T06:00
On Episode 191, Alli and her guests finally explore the wacky world of Carl Hiaasen as it’s written in the 2003 Newbery Honor-winning novel Listen
Episode 190: Amelia Bedelia from 2022-04-19T06:00
Episode 190 is a historic moment for SSR because it explores a book series intended for truly younger readers: Peggy Parish’s Amelia Bedelia Listen
Episode 189: Horse Crazy (Saddle Club #1) from 2022-04-12T06:00
SSR is way overdue for a Saddle Club moment — but on Episode 189, it finally happens! Alli and her guests discuss the first book in Bonnie Bryant’s iconic ...
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Episode 188: Anacaona, Golden Flower, Haiti, 1490 (The Royal Diaries) from 2022-04-05T06:00
Almost exactly one year to the day since SSR first dove into the Royal Diaries series, Alli and her guest are back to explore the fictionalized journal of ...
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Episode 187: Kristy's Big Day (Baby-Sitters Club #6) from 2022-03-29T06:00
We are gathered here today to celebrate the love of Kristy’s mom and Watson… but also the love among the members of the BSC. On Episode 187, Alli and her g...
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Episode 186: Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective from 2022-03-22T06:00
Break out those magnifying glasses, listeners! On Episode 186, Alli and her guest join one of the classic kid sleuths for some seriously interactive detect...
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Episode 185: Inkheart from 2022-03-15T06:00
On Episode 185, Alli and her guest have a bit of a love fest in honor of Cornelia Funke’s Listen
Episode 184: A Ring of Endless Light from 2022-03-08T07:00
For the first time since the SSR episode about A Wrinkle in Time back in 2018, Alli returns to the world of Madeleine L’Engle, this time for a dee...
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Episode 183: In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson from 2022-03-01T07:00
On Episode 183, Alli and her guest get reacquainted with Shirley Temple Wong, the spunky young heroine from Bette Bao Lord’s Listen
Episode 182: A Little Princess from 2022-02-22T07:00
This week, SSR takes it allllll the way back to a classic with a conversation about Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Listen
Episode 181: I Was a Teenage Fairy from 2022-02-15T07:00
On Episode 181, Alli and her guests explore Francesca Lia Block’s I Was a ...
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Episode 180: Anna and the French Kiss from 2022-02-08T07:00
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Alli is joined by romance author Alana Albertson to dish about Listen
Episode 179: Kidnapped By the Cult! (Sweet Valley High #82) from 2022-02-01T07:00
On this very exciting episode, Alli is joined by linguist and cult expert Amanda Montell for a conversation about the eighty-second book in Francine Pascal...
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Episode 178: Artemis Fowl from 2022-01-25T07:00
For the grand finale of Manuary 2022, Alli finally returns to a book that she’s been wanting to discuss on the pod for years: Eoin Colfer’s Listen
Episode 177: Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery from 2022-01-18T07:00
Take one eager canine narrator, a well-read cat, and a seemingly harmless rabbit who might *actually* be a vampire, and you’ve got yourself Listen
Episode 176: Dear Mr. Henshaw from 2022-01-11T07:00
It’s Week 2 of Manuary 2022 and Alli and her guest turn their attention to Beverly Cleary’s Newbery Medal-winning novel, Listen
Episode 175: The Story of Dr. Dolittle from 2022-01-04T07:00
On Episode 175, Alli and her guests — the hosts of the Overdue podcast<...
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Episode 174: Listenersode #3! from 2021-12-21T07:00
Happy holidays and happy (almost) new year!
To wrap up 2021, we’re once again inviting SSR listeners to join ...
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Episode 173: Finding My Voice from 2021-12-14T07:00
For the final book episode of 2021, Alli and her guest experience a new-to-them classic, Marie Myung-Ok Lee’s Listen
Episode 172: The A-List from 2021-12-07T07:00
After an amazing month of New Reads November 2021, it’s time we get back to throwback reads, starting with Zoey Dean’s The A-List! On Episode 172,...
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Episode 171: Tokyo Ever After (New Reads November) from 2021-11-30T07:00
This week, New Reads November 2021 comes to its grand finale with a conversation about Emiko Jean’s Listen
Episode 170: Prairie Lotus (New Reads November) from 2021-11-16T07:00
At long last, Alli is reading and discussing the book that has been most frequently recommended to her by guests and listeners in 2020 and 2021: Linda Sue ...
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Episode 170: Prairie Lotus (New Reads November) from 2021-11-16T07:00
At long last, Alli is reading and discussing the book that has been most frequently recommended to her by guests and listeners in 2020 and 2021: Linda Sue ...
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Episode 169: Camp (New Reads November) from 2021-11-09T07:00
Welcome back to New Reads November 2021! This week, L.C. Rosen’s Camp...
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Episode 168: You Have a Match (New Reads November) from 2021-11-02T06:00
It’s Week 1 of New Reads November 2021! This year, we’re kicking things off with a conversation about Listen
Episode 167: To All the Boys I've Loved Before from 2021-10-19T06:00
To all the listeners I’ve loved before… let’s talk about To All the Boys I’ve Love...
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Episode 166: Redwall from 2021-10-12T06:00
The first of Brian Jacques’s twenty-two Redwall books was published in 1986… and it’s about time it gets the SSR treatment! On Episode 166, Alli and her gu...
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Episode 165: Deenie from 2021-10-05T06:00
Episode 165 kicks off with a proper Judy Blume lovefest! From there, Alli and her guest get into the good, the bad, and the ugly of 1973’s Listen
Episode 163: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH from 2021-09-21T06:00
Robert C. O’Brien’s Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH was publish...
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Episode 162: Bud, Not Buddy from 2021-09-14T06:00
On Episode 162, Alli and her guest have a thoughtful conversation about Christopher Paul Curtis’s Newbery Medal-winning novel, Listen
Episode 161: Betsy-Tacy from 2021-09-07T06:00
If Alli had to describe this episode — not to mention the associated book! — in one word, that word would be COZY. On Episode 161, she and her guest take a...
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Episode 160: Claudia and the Mystery at the Museum (BSC Mystery #11) from 2021-08-31T06:00
SSR is no stranger to the Baby-Sitters Club, but we have yet to explore the BSC Mystery subseries… until now! On Episode 160, Alli and her guest talk about...
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Episode 159: Number the Stars from 2021-08-24T06:00
As far as transformational books written for young readers go, Lois Lowry’s Number the Stars certainly tops the list. On Episode 159, Alli and her...
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Episode 158: The Awakening (Vampire Diaries #1) from 2021-08-17T06:00
On Episode 158, Alli finally gets up to speed on the world of the Vampire Diaries! You may be familiar with this universe from the show that premiered on T...
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Episode 157: All I Want Is Everything (Gossip Girl #3) from 2021-08-10T06:00
Hey, Upper East Siders — it’s time for another Gossip Girl episode on SSR!
Episode 157 takes on the glitter, ...
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Episode 156: Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon from 2021-08-03T06:00
In case it’s not clear from the title of Paula Danziger’s 1994 novel, Amber Brown is not a crayon. Nope — she’s a third-grader who’s dealing with ...
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Episode 155: Zoey Fools Around (Making Out #1) from 2021-07-27T06:00
It’s always a treat for Alli when a podcast guest introduces her to a book from their teen or tween years that’s brand new to her… so imagine what a treat ...
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Episode 154: Stuart Little from 2021-07-20T06:00
Published in 1945, Stuart Little was E.B. White’s first book for...
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Episode 153: Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great from 2021-07-13T06:00
It’s always a good day when a Judy Blume book takes center stage on the pod… and it’s one of those good days!
Episode 152: Logan Likes Mary Anne! (Baby-Sitters Club #10) from 2021-07-06T06:00
The tenth installment in Ann M. Martin’s iconic Baby-Sitters Club series is a big one for the baby-sitters! In Listen
Episode 151: Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen from 2021-06-29T06:00
We’ve all been known to be a little dramatic… but none of us have anything on Lola Cep, the star of Dyan Sheldon’s 1999 YA novel Confessions of a Teena...
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Episode 150: Secrets (Sweet Valley High #2) from 2021-06-22T06:00
As has become an unofficial summertime tradition, SSR returns to Sweet Valley to kick off a new year of the podcast! On Episode 150, Alli and her guest dis...
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Episode 149: The Hidden Staircase (Nancy Drew #2) from 2021-06-15T06:00
Grab your sleuthing supplies, listeners, because it’s time to go on another mission in the world of Nancy Drew! On Episode 149, YA superstar Maureen Johnso...
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Episode 148: Molly's Route 66 Adventure from 2021-06-08T06:00
Pack your bags and jump in the car, listeners, because you’re about to join Alli and her guests for a little cruise down Route 66… in 1946! Tune in to Epis...
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Episode 147: Sarah, Plain and Tall from 2021-06-01T06:00
Patricia MacLachlan’s Sarah, Plain and Tall was published in 198...
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Episode 146: Mary Poppins from 2021-05-25T06:00
You may think you know Mary Poppins from the 1964 Disney movie starring Julie Andrews… but you might not recognize the original portrayal of the m...
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Episode 145: Keeping the Moon from 2021-05-18T06:00
For only the second time, SSR is taking on the Sarah Dessen universe on Episode 145, this time in a conversation about Listen
Episode 144: I Am an Artichoke from 2021-05-11T06:00
On Episode 144, Alli and her guest Elise Bryant have a thoughtful, honest, and at times vulnerable c...
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Episode 143: Pretty Little Liars from 2021-05-04T06:00
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’...
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Episode 142: Best Friends for Never (The Clique #2) from 2021-04-20T06:00
On Episode 142, Alli has her second-ever experience with Lisi Harrison’s The Clique series — more specifically, the second book in the series, Listen
Episode 141: Chasing Redbird from 2021-04-13T06:00
Sharon Creech’s Chasing Redbird is the story of Zinnia Taylor, a...
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Episode 140: The Long Winter from 2021-04-06T06:00
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 s...
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Episode 139: Marie Antoinette, Princess of Versailles (The Royal Diaries) from 2021-03-30T06:00
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...
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Episode 138: Both Sides of Time from 2021-03-23T06:00
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...
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Episode 137: Frindle from 2021-03-16T06:00
On Episode 137, Frindle by Andrew Clements takes the stage! ...
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Episode 136: Boy Meets Boy from 2021-03-09T07:00
On Episode 136, Alli and her guest discuss David Levithan’s trailblazing queer YA romance, Listen
Episode 135: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz from 2021-03-02T07:00
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,
Episode 134: The Hunger Games from 2021-02-23T07:00
Alli volunteers as tribute… to discuss The Hunger Games by Suzanne Colli...
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Episode 133: Then Again, Maybe I Won't from 2021-02-16T07:00
Long ago, Judy Blume was established as one of the reigning queens of the SSR podcast.
On Episode 133, Alli a...
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Episode 132: The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 from 2021-02-09T07:00
On Episode 132, Alli and her guest Renée road trip through Christopher Paul Curti’s award-winning novel Listen
Episode 131: The Secret of the Attic (Magic Attic Club #1) from 2021-02-02T07:00
It’s a straight-up ‘90s Nostalgia Fest on Episode 131!
Alli and her guest discuss the first book in the Magic...
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Episode 130: The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle from 2021-01-26T07:00
Episode 130 marks the conclusion to Manuary 2021 — and Alli’s first experience with the oft-requested Avi novel, Listen
Episode 129: The Mouse and the Motorcycle from 2021-01-19T07:00
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 m...
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Episode 128: Night of the Living Dummy (Goosebumps #7) from 2021-01-12T07:00
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 boo...
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Episode 127: Because of Winn-Dixie from 2021-01-05T19:00
Happy 2021, friends!
SSR kicks off a new year and the third annual Manuary with a conversation about Kate DiC...
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Episode 126: Listenersode #2! from 2020-12-22T07:00
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 may...
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Episode 125: Esperanza Rising from 2020-12-15T07:00
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, Listen
Episode 124: Ballet Shoes from 2020-12-08T07:00
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 Listen
Episode 123: The Cricket in Times Square from 2020-12-01T07:00
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 ...
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Episode 122: You Should See Me in a Crown (New Reads November) from 2020-11-24T07:00
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, Listen
Episode 121: Grown (New Reads November) from 2020-11-17T07:00
For Week Three of New Reads November, Alli and her guest dive into a discussion about TIffany D. Jackson’s latest YA novel, Listen
Episode 120: Clap When You Land (New Reads November) from 2020-11-10T07:00
It’s week two of New Reads November 2020 and Alli and her guest are turning to Elizabeth Acevedo’s Cl...
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Episode 119: The Voting Booth (New Reads November) from 2020-11-03T07:00
It’s the first episode of New Reads November 2020!
Appropriately (since Episode 119 drops on Election Day), the first new YA title up for discussion for New Reads Novembe...
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Episode 118: Karen's Witch (Baby-Sitters Little Sister #1) from 2020-10-27T06:00
For way too long, Alli underestimated one amazing character in the BSC world: Karen Brewer, AKA Kristy’s younger stepsister. Netflix’s 2020 adaptation of The Baby-Sitters Club showed he...
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Episode 117: Meet Kirsten (American Girl) from 2020-10-20T06:00
It’s time for another American Girl deep dive! This time, the focus is pioneer girl Kirsten Larson — and Alli couldn’t have picked a better guest for this one. On Episode 117, she welco...
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Episode 116: The View from Saturday from 2020-10-13T06:00
Every once in a while, Alli stumbles her way back to a book that tells her more than she ever could have expected about the kind of reader and writer she’s grown up to be… and Listen
Episode 115: The BFG from 2020-10-06T06:00
Roald Dahl may be a beloved children’s author, but he’s also a problematic figure. Similarly, The BFG is a belove...
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Episode 114: The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events #1) from 2020-09-29T06:00
A conversation about Lemony Snicket’s beloved A Series of Unfortunate Events has been a long time coming… but it’s finally here! On Episode 114, Alli and her guest discuss the first boo...
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Episode 113: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist from 2020-09-22T06:00
For some odd reason, Alli never read Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist when she was a teen reader herself, but she’s fina...
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Episode 112: The Mystery at Lilac Inn (Nancy Drew #4) from 2020-09-15T06:00
It’s been more than two years since SSR last examined Nancy Drew — but we’re back with another Nancy convo for Episode 112! On this episode, the hosts of the Novel Pairings podcast join...
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Episode 111: Freaky Friday from 2020-09-08T06:00
Author Suzanne Park joins Alli on Episode 111 to discuss Freaky Friday, the 1972 middle grade novel by Mary Rodgers that s...
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Episode 110: This Lullaby from 2020-09-01T06:00
On Episode 110, book lover and bookstagrammer Sarah Coquillat is on the pod to chat about a book she absolutely loved as a teenager, Sarah Dessen’s Listen
Episode 109: You Know You Love Me (Gossip Girl #2) from 2020-08-25T06:00
It’s time for another Gossip Girl chat! On Episode 109, author (and Gossip Girl expert) Hannah Orenstein joins Alli to discuss the second title in Cecily von Ziegesar’s iconic series, <...
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Episode 108: The Headless Cupid from 2020-08-18T06:00
Author Jen Doll joins Alli on Episode 108 for a conversation about Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s Newbery Honor-winning novel, Listen
Episode 107: Catherine, Called Birdy from 2020-08-11T06:00
On Episode 107, Alli is joined by podcaster and comedian Kelly Anneken to discuss Karen Cushman’s 1995 Newbery Honor winner, Cather...
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Episode 106: Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging from 2020-08-04T14:01:50
On Episode 106, Alli and her guest explore one major question: how good (or not-so-good) does it feel to read a book that feels like a time capsule of an era gone by?
As...
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Episode 105: Mr. Popper's Penguins from 2020-07-28T06:00
On Episode 105, Alli sets aside her very real, very intense fear of birds for a conversation about Mr. Popper’s Penguins. ...
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Episode 104: Eight Cousins // Rose in Bloom from 2020-07-21T06:00
It’s been well-established that Alli is a superfan of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, but on Episode 104, her guest intr...
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Episode 103: Who's Who? (Sweet Valley High #62) from 2020-07-14T06:00
It’s become an unofficial tradition to come back for a new year of the podcast with a Sweet Valley episode… and this year is no exception! On Episode 103, Alli’s soon-to-be podcaster fr...
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Episode 102: Bonus Q+A #3! from 2020-07-03T08:00
Rounding out year TWO of the podcast, it’s time for another round of Q+A!
On this episode, Alli answers questions about everything from her favorite episodes and goals fo...
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Episode 101: The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1) from 2020-06-23T06:00
This is the fourth and final week of Pride Month on the pod. Cheers to many more! Thanks so much to all of the guests who have joined Alli to celebrate Pride on SSR.
On E...
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Episode 100: A Great and Terrible Beauty from 2020-06-16T06:00
It’s Episode 100 of SSR — and Week 3 of Pride Month! There’s so much to celebrate on the podcast this week!
Episode 100 is all about Libba Bray’s Listen
Episode 99: Keeping You a Secret from 2020-06-09T06:00
We’re back for the second episode of Pride Month 2020!
Allison Punch joins Alli to chat about a book that made a huge impact on her life, Listen
Episode 98: Peter Pan from 2020-06-02T06:00
Episode 98 kicks off Pride Month 2020 on SSR!
This week, Alli is joined by podcaster and kid lit enthusiast Bryce Kelly for a conversation about J.M. Barrie’s Listen
Episode 97: Sideways Stories from Wayside School from 2020-05-26T06:00
Every once in a while, Alli has to share what she *really* thinks is going to be an unpopular opinion on the podcast. Well, this is one of those times. Without any nostalgic attachment ...
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Episode 96: Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell (Dear America) from 2020-05-19T06:00
There have been so many requests for a Dear America episode — at last, we deliver! On Episode 96, Alli and her guest discuss the fifth installment, Listen
Episode 95: My Side of the Mountain from 2020-05-05T06:00
Long-time listeners of The SSR Podcast will hardly be surprised to discover that Alli is not the biggest fan of survival stories, but on Episode 95, she and her guest revisit J...
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Episode 94: New York, New York! (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #6) from 2020-04-28T06:00
When it comes to The Baby-Sitters Club and SSR, too much of a good thing is never enough… so it’s lucky for you that Episode 94 is yet another Super Special installment, Listen
Episode 93: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (Gallagher Girls #1) from 2020-04-21T06:00
Alli experiences a serious case of retroactive FOMO on Episode 93, thanks to a discussion about the first book in Ally Carter’s Gallagher Girls series, Listen
Episode 92: Superfudge from 2020-04-14T06:00
Once again, we return to an SSR *~queen~* — Judy Blume! On Episode 92, it’s all about the Hatcher family — Peter, Fudge, baby Tootsie, their parents, and the many adventures and misadve...
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Episode 91: Snowbound (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #7) from 2020-04-07T06:00
On Episode 91, get snowed in with Alli, the Stoneybrook babysitters, and guest Margaret Willison, who read her fir...
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Episode 90: Coming Home (Heartland #1) from 2020-03-31T06:00
SSR gallops into the world of horse books for Episode 90! Alli and her guest Hannah Williams are chatting about the first book in Lauren Brooke’s Heartland series, Listen
Episode 89: Don't Die, My Love from 2020-03-24T06:00
It’s rare that Alli’s met a reader who has been as deeply affected by a book as the guest on Episode 89 has been affected by Lurlene McDaniel’s Listen
Episode 88: The Birchbark House from 2020-03-17T06:00
On Episode 88, Alli and her guest Uli Beutter Cohen discuss their first experience reading Louise Erdrich’s The Birchbark House Listen
Episode 87: Jacob Have I Loved from 2020-03-10T06:00
For Episode 87, Alli comes to Katherine Paterson’s Newbery-winning Jacob Have I Loved for the first time — and what a ride...
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Episode 86: Gossip Girl #1 from 2020-03-03T07:00
XOXO, it’s (finally!) time for the SSR Gossip Girl episode!
On Episode 86, Alli and guest Alexandra Monir d...
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Episode 85: The Castle in the Attic from 2020-02-25T07:00
As we all know, Alli loved A LOT of books when she was a kid, but for some inexplicable reason, Elizabeth Winthrop’s The Castle in ...
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Episode 84: Meet Felicity (American Girl) from 2020-02-18T07:00
On Episode 84, SSR finally enters the American Girl universe, this time with a conversation about Listen
Episode 83: All-American Girl from 2020-02-11T07:00
On Episode 83 of SSR, Atlas Obscura newsletter editor Ashley Wolfgang joins Alli to discuss all things Meg Cabot’s Listen
Episode 82: The Parent Trap from 2020-02-04T07:00
Manuary is over and the ladies are back! On Episode 82, Alli welcomes Christie and Izzy from the Listen
Episode 81: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from 2020-01-28T07:00
Episode 81 of SSR is an extra special one, not only because it’s the final installment of Manuary 2020, but because it features Alli’s husband Matt as the guest! She can’t wait for the ...
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Episode 80: The Giver from 2020-01-21T07:00
It’s Week 3 of Manuary, and we’re finally tackling Lois Lowry’s The Giver. Published in 1993, the book won the Newbery Med...
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Episode 79: The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids // Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots from 2020-01-14T07:00
It’s another week of Manuary 2020, and Alli is welcoming Andrew and Craig from Overdue Podcast fo...
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Episode 78: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from 2020-01-07T07:00
Happy 2020 and Happy Manuary, listeners!
To kick off this special month, we’re welcoming Hunter from Shelf by She...
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Episode 77: Listenersode #1! from 2019-12-27T07:00
For the first time ever, 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 t...
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Episode 76: The Clique from 2019-12-17T07:00
In 2004, Lisi Harrison’s The Clique series launched with its first book, which was aptly titled The Clique. The book broug...
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Episode 75: Forever from 2019-12-10T07:00
At long last, SSR tackles the infamous “Judy Blume sex book” — her 1975 YA novel Forever! On Episode 75, Alli and her gues...
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Episode 74: There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom from 2019-12-03T07:00
After a fabulous month of New Reads November, it’s back to literary throwbacks on the pod this week, and we’re psyched to be kicking things off with a discussion of Louis Sachar’s 1988 ...
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Episode 73: Opposite of Always (New Reads November) from 2019-11-26T07:00
It’s the final week of New Reads November 2019, and Jeopardy! champ (and SSR fan!) Emma Boettcher is joining Alli to discuss <...
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Episode 72: Nevermoor (New Reads November) from 2019-11-19T07:00
Fun fact: Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow was the single most requested title for New R...
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Episode 71: The Princess and the Fangirl (New Reads November) from 2019-11-12T07:00
For Week 2 of New Reads November 2019, we’re chatting all things fandom, life swapping, and sci-fi conventions, thanks to Ashley Poston’s Listen
Episode 70: Frankly in Love (New Reads November) from 2019-11-05T07:00
New Reads November is back! The first title we’re discussing in this very special, very fun series is David Yoon’s YA debut Frankly...
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Episode 69: Gingerbread from 2019-10-29T06:00
Published in 2002, Gingerbread is the story of Cyd Charisse, a teen who makes her way from a posh New England boarding sch...
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Episode 68: Just as Long as We're Together from 2019-10-22T06:00
There’s nothing quite like a simple, solid friendship story to really bring you back to what it felt like to be a kid, and that’s exactly what you get in Judy Blume’s Listen
Episode 67: Dragonsong from 2019-10-15T06:00
Dudes abound in the world of science fiction and fantasy, and author Anne McCaffrey was a true trailblazer… just like the protagonist in her 1976 YA novel Listen
Episode 66: The Baby-Sitters Club // Claudia and the Sad Goodbye from 2019-10-08T06:00
Alli and guest Jaime Elsey — who you may know better as bookstagram’s @absorbedinpages — are getting ...
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Episode 65: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark from 2019-10-01T06:00
October is here… and we’re kicking off the spookiest month of the year with Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark...
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Episode 64: Ozma of Oz from 2019-09-24T06:00
Think you know all there is to know about the land of Oz? It’s more than just The Wonderful Wizard of Oz! In Episode 64, guest Heather Boa...
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Episode 63: Homecoming from 2019-09-17T06:00
If you feel like every episode of The SSR Podcast is basically just a lovefest about whatever book we happen to be discussing (and you’re sick and tired of it!), then you should def...
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Episode 62: To Kill a Mockingbird from 2019-09-10T06:00
Ever since its publication in 1960, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird has been earning accolades and showing up on school...
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Episode 61: Hatchet from 2019-09-03T06:00
On Episode 61 of SSR, we’re taking to the Canadian wilderness — but unlike thirteen-year-old Brian in Gary Paulsen’s 1987 Newbery Honor-winning novel Hatchet, we’re not going a...
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Episode 60: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone from 2019-08-27T06:00
It’s finally happening… we’re talking about Harry Potter on the podcast! More specifically, Episode 60 of SSR is all about the book that started it all: Listen
Episode 59: Ender's Game from 2019-08-20T16:42:58
In Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, we meet Ender Wiggin, a six-year-old boy who has been identified as a high-potential child soldier in ...
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Episode 58: Go Ask Alice from 2019-08-13T06:00
Originally billed as the real life diary of an anonymous teen drug addict, Go Ask Alice offers plenty of food for conversational th...
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Episode 57: Running Out of Time from 2019-08-06T06:00
Alli’s called a lot of SSR books her favorite… and this one is no exception! On Episode 57, she’s joined by writer and debut author Rebecca Fishbein to discuss Margaret Peterso...
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Episode 56: The Outsiders from 2019-07-30T06:00
As a high schooler, Alli missed the boat on reading S.E. Hinton’s iconic 1967 novel The Outsiders, but all that c...
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Episode 55: The Perks of Being a Wallflower from 2019-07-23T06:00
With the help of a cult fan base and a 2012 movie adaptation, Stephen Chbosky’s 1999 epistolary novel The Perks of Being a Wallflow...
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Episode 54: Sweet Valley High // Double Love from 2019-07-16T06:00
SSR is back for year TWO, and we’re kicking things off with a conversation about the first book in Francine Pascal’s beloved Sweet Valley High series, Listen
Episode 53: Bonus Q+A #2! from 2019-06-25T07:00
It’s round two of SSQ Q+A! Tune in to hear Alli talk about mental health, favorite music, podcast behind the scenes, favorite movies, body image… and for plenty of book talk, too. Thank...
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Episode 52: Walk Two Moons from 2019-06-18T06:00
Sharon Creech’s Walk Two Moons was published in 1994 and went on to win the celebrated Newbery Medal in 1995. It...
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Episode 51: Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief from 2019-06-11T06:00
Among the Harriets and Nancys of the mystery world, Sammy Keyes has always been a breath of fresh, relatable air for kid readers. The first book in her eponymous series — Listen
Episode 50: Bridge to Terabithia from 2019-06-04T06:00
Katherine Paterson’s beloved Bridge to Terabithia is the perfect subject for SSR’s milestone FIFTIETH episode! Th...
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Episode 49: Weetzie Bat from 2019-05-28T06:00
Published in 1989, Francesca Lia Block’s Weetzie Bat is the story of an LA na...
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Episode 48: The Brothers Lionheart from 2019-05-21T06:00
Quite possibly the darkest and most unique book we’ve read to date on SSR, The Brothers Lionheart is the story of...
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Episode 47: Charlotte's Web from 2019-05-14T06:00
In celebration of Mother’s Day and special ladies everywhere, Alli welcomes her own mom Deb Cummins Stellato to Episode 47, in which they discuss a book they loved reading toge...
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Episode 46: Anastasia Krupnik from 2019-05-07T06:00
Unless you can get yourself a time machine, there are few better ways to go back to childhood than to read a middle grade book — and Lois Lowry’s Listen
Episode 45: Island of the Blue Dolphins from 2019-04-30T06:00
It’s Episode 45 and about time that we take a journey to the Island of the Blue Dolphins — AKA a small island off the coast of California where a woman actually survived alone...
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Episode 44: Alanna: The First Adventure from 2019-04-23T06:00
In Episode 44, Alli is introduced for the first time to Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness quartet, and HuffPost’s Claire Fallon joins to discuss the first book in the series, aptly na...
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Episode 43: The Egypt Game from 2019-04-16T06:00
Published in 1967, Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s Newbery Honor-winning book The Egypt Game is the story of April Hall and Melani...
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Episode 42: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry from 2019-04-09T06:00
It’s the 1930’s in rural Mississippi, and nine-year-old Cassie Logan is learning to face the realities of racism. She has her brothers — Stacey, Christopher John, and Little Man — to help her fi...
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Episode 41: The Golden Compass from 2019-04-02T06:00
On Episode 41 of The SSR Podcast, we’re diving into the fascinating world of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass. And it is Listen
Episode 40: Little Women from 2019-03-26T06:00
A century and a half after its publication, it’s time to give Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women the SSR treatment! With the...
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Episode 39: Speak from 2019-03-19T06:00
On Episode 39, we discuss Laurie Halse Anderson’s groundbreaking 1999 novel Speak, which explores the troubling issues of sexual and assault and tr...
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Episode 38: The Face on the Milk Carton from 2019-03-12T06:00
You may know her as @molliereads from her blog Mollie Reads ...
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Episode 37: The Boxcar Children #1 from 2019-03-05T07:00
Allow us to (re)introduce you to Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden. You probably know them better as The Boxcar Children and the protagonists of the now 150+ titles in the beloved series of...
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Episode 36: Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret from 2019-02-26T07:00
If there’s one book that’s been requested for the podcast time and time again by women of all ages, it’s Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’...
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Episode 35: I Know What You Did Last Summer from 2019-02-19T07:00
Before I Know What You Did Last Summer was a blockbuster hit movie, it was a 1973 young adult thriller by Lois Duncan, and with the...
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Episode 34: Tuck Everlasting from 2019-02-12T07:00
Happy Valentine’s week, listeners! In honor of all things love, we’ve picked something a little dreamy and romantic for Episode 35 — Natalie Babitt’s 1975 novel, Listen
Episode 33: Anne of Green Gables from 2019-02-05T07:00
Having never read Anne of Green Gables before, Alli finally meets the strong-willed, imaginative Anne Shirley for Episode ...
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Episode 32: Holes (Manuary) from 2019-01-29T07:00
In Episode 32, Alli resists the urge to fangirl as she welcomes one of her favorite podcasters to wrap up Manuary and discuss Louis Sachar’s
Episode 31: James and the Giant Peach (Manuary) from 2019-01-22T07:00
Much like a large piece of fruit, Manuary rolls on with Episode 31, in which we discuss Roald Dahl’s 1961 classic James and the Giant Peach<...
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Episode 30: The Phantom Tollbooth (Manuary) from 2019-01-15T07:00
There is perhaps no other book in history that captures the importance of imagination — and of sucking it up and having a good attitude about learning new things — better than Norton Juster’s 19...
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Episode 29: BSC Super Special // Baby-Sitters Island Adventure (Manuary) from 2019-01-08T07:00
The Baby-Sitters Club Club’s Jack and Tanner join Alli for this history-making first episode of Manuary! In it, they break down the ...
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Episode 28: Bonus Q+A #1! from 2018-12-21T07:00
For the first time ever, SSR host Alli answers listener questions! Tune in to hear her talk about her marriage, her previous job in the publishing world, and her career as a freelance writer… an...
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Episode 27: The Westing Game from 2018-12-18T07:00
Ever since its publication in 1978, Ellen Raskin’s Newbery Medal-winning The Westing Game has been introducing young reade...
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Episode 26: Stargirl from 2018-12-11T07:00
Jerry Spinelli’s Stargirl was a favorite of Alli’s when she was growing up, and in Episode 26, she discovers that she can ...
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Episode 25: The Dark Is Rising from 2018-12-04T07:00
Published in 1973, Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising feels in many ways like the OG Harry Potter — in it, a young, seeming...
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Episode 24: The Hate U Give (New Reads November) from 2018-11-27T07:00
Published in 2017, Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give has become a bestselling phenomenon and a conversation starter among readers of a...
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Episode 23: Leah on the Offbeat (New Reads November) from 2018-11-20T07:00
Fans of the movie “Love, Simon” or the book that inspired it Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda will already be familiar wi...
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Episode 22: We Are Okay (New Reads November) from 2018-11-13T07:00
Meet Marin, the star of Nina LaCour’s 2017 Printz Award-winning novel We Are Okay. In it, Marin is grappling with the recent loss o...
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Episode 21: When Dimple Met Rishi (New Reads November) from 2018-11-06T07:00
In the first-ever New Reads November episode, Alli and guest Laura Yamin discuss the 2017 YA novel When Dimple Met Rishi b...
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Episode 20: The Black Cauldron from 2018-10-30T06:00
Alli puts aside her distaste for Halloween to dive into Lloyd Alexander’s The Black Cauldron, which is the second book in the belov...
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Episode 19: Sweet Valley High // The New Jessica from 2018-10-23T06:00
Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield mostly made twinning look like a dream… but things are rarely as simple on the inside (LOL). In Volume 32 of Francine Pascal’s belov...
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Episode 18: Beezus and Ramona from 2018-10-16T06:00
Episode 18 is a total sister act! Alli and guest Penny Luksic — both older sisters in their own families — at long last gab about the Quimby family, focusing on Beverly Cleary’s 1955 Listen
Episode 17: Twilight from 2018-10-09T06:00
In 2005, Stephanie Meyer’s YA vampire romance fantasy Twilight kicked off a four-book series, a blockbuster movie franchise, and ge...
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Episode 16: Julie of the Wolves from 2018-10-02T06:00
When author Jean Craighead George traveled to Barrow, Alaska in 1971 to study wolves, she thought it was for an article in Reader’s Digest… but when her editor rejected the piece, she d...
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Episode 15: A Wrinkle in Time from 2018-09-25T06:00
In 1962, Madeleine L’Engle’s Newbery Medal-winning A Wrinkle in Time brought readers to bizarre (AKA creepy) new planets, challenged them wi...
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Episode 14: Lily's Crossing from 2018-09-18T06:00
TBH, Patricia Reilly Giff’s Newbery Honor award-winning Lily’s Crossing isn’t a book that I’ve thought about that often since my childhood… ...
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Episode 13: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants from 2018-09-11T06:00
For the first time EVER, lifelong BFFs Tibby, Carmen, Bridget, and Lena are about to be separated for the summer. Luckily for them, they find a pair of seemingly magic pants to hold them togethe...
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Episode 12: Ella Enchanted from 2018-09-04T06:00
For those of us raised on a steady diet of (often helpless) Disney princesses, Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted was a revelation, a girl power fairy tale retelling. Yes, Ella is pass...
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Episode 11: Goosebumps // Welcome to Dead House from 2018-08-28T06:00
Twenty years too late, Alli is finally joining the Cool Kids Club and reading Goosebumps for the first time! In Episode 11 of The SSR Podcast, we discuss the first book this beloved, best-sellin...
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Episode 10: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe from 2018-08-21T05:00
On Episode 10, Good Christian Fun podcast co-host Caroline Ely joins us to discuss the third — but best known — book in C.S. Lewis...
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Episode 09: Little House on the Prairie from 2018-08-14T05:00
With the help of elementary education pro and super-reader Drew Gannon, we’re talking all things Little House on the Prairie and Laura Ingal...
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Episode 08: Animal Farm from 2018-08-07T05:00
It’s time for a little required reading! On Episode 8 of The SSR Podcast, we talk with film and TV writer Meredith Dawson about George Orwell’s political allegory Listen
Episode 07: The Baby-Sitters Club // Kristy's Great Idea from 2018-07-31T05:00
Say hello to your friends! The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin is quite possibly the most iconic book series of the 80s and 90s… and we’re breaking it down in Episode 7 of Th...
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Episode 06: Sloppy Firsts from 2018-07-24T05:00
On this episode of The SSR Podcast, we break down Megan McCafferty’s 2001 novel Sloppy Firsts, the first book in the bestselling Jessica Dar...
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Episode 05: Nancy Drew // The Secret of the Old Clock from 2018-07-17T05:00
Nancy Drew devotees, beware! On this episode of The SSR Podcast, Alli and her guest — Brooklyn-based writer Kase Wickman — take a deep dive into the question of whether or not OG girl detective ...
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Episode 04: From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler from 2018-07-10T05:00
On this episode of The SSR Podcast, Alli has — refreshingly! — almost nothing bad to say about E.L. Konigsburg’s 1967 book From the Mixed-Up Fil...
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Episode 03: Matilda from 2018-07-03T05:00
On this episode of The SSR Podcast, Alli and Alexandra Fishwick (@alexandra_fish) — who is the assistant director of...
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Episode 02: The Princess Diaries from 2018-06-25T11:10
On this episode of The SSR Podcast, Alli and publishing pro Haley Davis (@hayc12) relive the life-changing experience of seeing the movie The Princess Diaries for the first time, then compare th...
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Episode 01: Harriet the Spy from 2018-06-25T11:00
On this episode of The SSR Podcast, Brittney Lynn (@brittneyllynn) joins Alli to break down Louise Fitzhugh’s 1964 novel, Harriet the Spy. Learn all about Alli’s complicated history with this ch...
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Episode 00: Prologue from 2018-06-14T00:06
Welcome to The SSR Podcast! In this trailer episode, learn more about what inspired the show and get a sneak peak at the books we’ll discuss in our launch episodes, out June 26!
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