The SSR Podcast

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

Follow Jordan on Instagram (@jordys.book.club).

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

Anand Kalra is the founding director of Uncaged Librarian Arts & Information, which produced Octavia of Earth, the documusical inspired by the life of sci-fi luminary Octavia E. Butler. Follow along on Instagram (@uncagedlibrarian) and Facebook.

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It’s the second week of Manuary, the second episode of 2021, and Alli’s second-ever experience reading one of R. L. Stine’s beloved Goosebumps books!

On Episode 128, SSR takes a spooky look at the seventh book in the iconic series, Night of the Living Dummy, in which we meet a very famous ventriloquist dummy named Slappy. Alli and her guest discuss their personal feelings about and experiences with ventriloquism, the portrayal of sibling rivalry in the book, and the suspension of disbelief necessary in the horror genre. They also chat about the genre, more generally.

David Luzader is an improv comic, long-time podcaster, and winner of America’s Next Top Podcasters Season 2. His two current podcasts are Hit Me One More Time and Movie Go Round. Follow David on Twitter (@davluz).

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Happy 2021, friends!

SSR kicks off a new year and the third annual Manuary with a conversation about Kate DiCamillo’s award-winning middle grade novel Because of Winn-Dixie. Published in 2000, the book tells the story of a young girl named Opal who navigates life in a new town — among a colorful cast of characters — with the help of a dog named Winn-Dixie. On Episode 127, Because of Winn-Dixie inspires conversations about everything from Dave Matthews and empathy to toxic masculinity and pet personalities.

Follow Hunter McLendon on Instagram (@shelfbyshelf), Twitter (@shelfbyshelf), and YouTube (Shelf By Shelf). Check out Shelf by Shelf for reviews, book discussions, and more.

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Once again, we’re inviting SSR listeners on to the show to share their thoughts, feelings, and experiences about the books they loved most as kids… and maybe even some of the books the podcast has ruined for them. (Sorry!)

Enjoy this special episode — and happy new year! See you in 2021!

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

Check out Marci and Ako’s bi-weekly podcast, the Colored Pages Book Club. Follow the show on Instagram (@thesecoloredpages) and Twitter (@TheColoredPages).

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In the 1998 movie You’ve Got Mail, Kathleen Kelly shares her love for the “Shoe books” by Noel Streatfeild. Her favorite, she says, is Ballet Shoes — and since we are *big* fans of Kathleen Kelly around here, it’s time to tackle it!

On Episode 124, Alli and her guest Jenny Bayliss dive into the world of the Fossil family — Pauline, Petrova, Posy, and their caretakers Garnie and Nana. They talk about the pressures the sisters feel to support their family, the way they embrace found family, and the various forms of privilege they straddle. They discuss the way misogyny presents itself in Ballet Shoes and the hints of progressivism they find in an otherwise fairly classic book.

Jenny Bayliss is the author of The Twelve Dates of Christmas. Follow her on Instagram (@jennibayliss) and Twitter (@BaylissJenni).

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New Reads November is over… and we’re back to our usual literary throwback programming! On Episode 123, Alli and her guest take a walk down reading memory lane for a discussion about George Selden’s The Cricket in Times Square, which was published in 1960 and won a Newbery Honor in 1961. The book is a celebration of friendship, New York City, and the American dream. Tune in to hear Alli and Melissa discuss their personal experiences with this book (hint: Alli had a childhood pet named after the main character), the power of the arts, the presidential fitness test, and more.

Melissa de la Cruz is the bestselling, critically-acclaimed author of dozens of books for all ages. Her latest book — Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy — is out now! Follow her on Instagram (@authormelissadelacruz) and Twitter (@MelissadelaCruz).

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

Jenny Lee is a TV writer and producer living in Los Angeles. She is also the author of the YA novel, Anna K. Follow Jenny on Instagram (@jennyleewrites).

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

(Trigger warning: sexual abuse, rape, assault, child abuse, kidnapping, addiction)

Hayley Krischer is a journalist whose work has been published in The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, Marie Claire, Lenny Letter, and more. Her debut novel — Something Happened to Ali Greenleaf — is now available. Follow her on Instagram (@hayleykrischer) and Twitter (@hayleykrischer).

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