The SSR Podcast

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 discuss the second book in Francine Pascal’s iconic series, Secrets. They chat about their own high school memories, the social hierarchy of Sweet Valley, jealous boyfriends, the dangers of gossip, and why these books have been so popular with readers of different ages.

Lacie Waldon is a writer with her head in the clouds — literally! A flight attended based in Washington, D.C., Lacie spends her days writing from the jump seat and watching the world for new stories. The Layover is her debut novel. Follow her on Instagram (@allaboutthat_lace) and Twitter (@LacieWaldon).

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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 Johnson joins Alli to chat about the second book in the series, The Hidden Staircase. They discuss Nancy’s historical significance, the story’s crazy twists and turns, and The Hidden Staircase’s emphasis on notary publics and lunch breaks.

Maureen Johnson’s latest book, The Box in the Woods, is now available. Follow her on Instagram (@maureenjohnsonbooks) and Twitter (@maureenjohnson).

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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 Episode 148 for a discussion about the first installment in American Girl’s scrapbook series, Molly’s Route 66 Adventure. The conversation starts with an extensive chat about all things Molly and winds up with an examination of Molly’s interactions with indigenous people — but there are plenty of pit stops along the way!

Allison and Mary are the hosts of the American Girls Podcast. Follow the podcast on Instagram (@americangirlspodcast) and Twitter (@AGirlsPod) — and support the show on Patreon, too! Follow Allison and Mary on social media, too…

Twitter: Allison (@allisonhorrocks) | Mary (@MaryMahoney123)

Instagram: Allison (@allisonhorrocks) | Mary (@mimimahoney)

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Patricia MacLachlan’s Sarah, Plain and Tall was published in 1985 and went on to win the Newbery Medal, the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, and the Golden Kite Award in 1986. And while it’s the shortest book that Alli has ever covered on SSR, it inspires no shortage of thoughtful conversation! Tune in to Episode 146 for conversations about historical revisionism, whiteness, erasure, beautiful writing, literary scapegoating, the complexities of memory, the dynamics of choice, mail order brides in the American West, Accelerated Reader, and more.

Olivia Cole is a writer from Louisville, Kentucky. She is the author of the new adult series Panther in the Hive and a young adult series, which includes A Conspiracy of Stars and An Anatomy of Beasts. Her essays have been published at Bitch Media, Real Simple, The L.A. Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Gay Mag, and others. Olivia’s next book — The Truth About White Lies — is out in March of 2022. Follow Olivia on Twitter (@RantingOwl) and Instagram (@rantingowl).

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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 magical nanny as she’s written in the book that inspired the film! Mary Poppins was written by P.L. Travers and published in 1934 — and it’s not as warm and fuzzy as the version we’ve seen on-screen! On Episode 146, Alli and her guest take a close look at Travers’s book, discussing their complicated feelings about the characters, swapping notes about their favorite Mary Poppins adventures, and considering the historical and personal context that inspired the story.

Misa Sugiura is the author of It’s Not Like It’s a Secret and This Time Will Be Different, as well as a story in the anthology Come On In. Her new book Love & Other Natural Disasters will be available on June 8, 2021. Follow Misa on Instagram (@misallaneous1) and Twitter (@misallaneous1).

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For only the second time, SSR is taking on the Sarah Dessen universe on Episode 145, this time in a conversation about Keeping the Moon. Tune in to hear Alli and her guest discuss the 2019 Sarah Dessen controversy, their complicated feelings about main character Colie’s arc in Keeping the Moon, the fictional love interests that ruined them as teens, the makeover trope that took over pop culture in the ‘90s, and the way this book depicts appearances and body image.

Lily Herman is a writer, editor, and digital strategist who also co-hosts Bad Bitch Book Club’s Friends to Lovers podcast with Mackenzie Newcomb. Lily is currently the writer and TikToker for Yahoo’s brand The Yodel and a culture writer at Bustle. Follow Lily on Twitter (@lkherman) and Instagram (@lilykherman).

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On Episode 144, Alli and her guest Elise Bryant have a thoughtful, honest, and at times vulnerable conversation about I Am an Artichoke, which was written by Lucy Frank and published in 1995.

The book tells the story of an angsty teen named Sarah who takes a summer job as a mother’s helper in New York City, only to discover that the family who hired her is working through trauma that they’re not willing to acknowledge. Together, Alli and Elise consider the dangers of the way that eating disorders are depicted in this book, share the parts of Sarah’s experience that resonated with them, and so much more.

TW: eating disorders, disordered eating, body dysmorphia, body image

Elise Bryant is the author of Happily Ever Afters, as well as the forthcoming One True Loves (out January 2022!). Follow her on Instagram (@elisembryant) and Twitter (@elisembryant).

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

TW: self harm, eating disorders, relationship violence

Joya Goffney’s debut novel Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry is now available! Follow Joya on Instagram (@joya.goffney) and Twitter (@joya_goffney).

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

Frannie Comstock and Sophie Krueger host the Girls Like Us podcast, which covers The Clique and other YA books. Each episode asks the question What does a literature degree get you? and answers it with, “A podcast about books for teen girls.” Listen on your favorite podcatcher and follow the show on Instagram (@girlslikeusshow) and Twitter (@GirlsLikeUsShow).

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Sharon Creech’s Chasing Redbird is the story of Zinnia Taylor, a thirteen-year-old who is navigating the chaos of her large family with the guilt she feels about the untimely deaths of her beloved cousin Rose and her Aunt Jessie. Oh, and there’s also an older boy named Jake Boone who is suddenly paying a lot of attention to her. But what happens when Zinny takes on the task of uncovering a twenty-mile trail behind her house? As you can probably guess, the project is going to take her on a major ~journey~.

On Episode 141, author Sarah Hogle joins Alli for a conversation about grief, mental health, guilt, identity, and so much more. They also address one burning question: Is Jake Boone a hero or a creep?

Sarah Hogle is the author of Twice Shy and You Deserve Each Other. Follow her on Instagram (@sarah_hogle) and Twitter (@witchofthewords).

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