The SSR Podcast

It’s week two of New Reads November 2020 and Alli and her guest are turning to Elizabeth Acevedo’s Clap When You Land (which just so happens to have been the most-requested title for New Reads November!). You don’t want to miss the conversation about this novel in verse, which addresses matters of identity, race, family, sexuality, feminism, and the patriarchy… not to mention the fact that it’s beautiful writing from start to finish!

Kara Lee Corthron is an author, playwright, and TV writer based in Los Angeles. Her latest novel Daughters of Jubilation is now available. Follow her on Instagram (@kara.corthron) and Twitter (@KaraLeeCorthron).

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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 November is Brandy Colbert’s The Voting Booth. The Voting Booth chronicles a single Election Day from two perspectives — the politically passionate Marva and the quiet activist Duke. What happens when Marva commits to doing whatever is necessary to get Duke to vote? Listen to this episode (and read the book!) to find out!

Bookstagrammer Cayla Turner joins Alli for this conversation about everything from voter suppression and race to Instagram pets and healthy relationships. Follow her on Instagram (@bookitqueen).

And remember to vote!

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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 her just how amazing Karen is… and she’s thrilled to be turning the spotlight on her for Episode 118 and a discussion of Karen’s Witch.

The first book in the BSC spin-off series Baby-Sitters Little Sister, Karen’s Witch tells the story of what happens when our heroine becomes convinced that her dad’s neighbor Mrs. Porter is actually a witch named Morbidda Destiny. The book also touches on matters of divorce and blended families — all of which Alli and her guest chat about on this episode!

Allison Winn Scotch is the author of eight novels, including the newly released Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing. Follow her on Twitter (@aswinn) and Instagram (@aswinn).

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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 welcomes the ~queen~ of pop culture deep dives, Kate Kennedy from the Be There in Five podcast.

Tune in to listen to Alli and Kate’s conversation about Meet Kirsten, which was published in 1988 and written by Janet Shaw. They share about their personal histories with the American Girl brand as a whole and examine the emotional roller coaster that is Meet Kirsten, specifically. Kate and Alli also discuss the ways in which Kirsten’s immigrant story is still resonant and relevant today.

Follow Kate on Instagram (@bethereinfive) and Twitter (@BeThereInFive).

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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 The View from Saturday is one of them! On Episode 116, she and her guest take a close look at this 1996 middle grade novel by E.L. Konigsburg, which won the Newbery Medal in 1997.

Alli and Kate discuss the book’s multiple perspectives and framing device, share which of the four core characters they most relate to, talk about the magic of a story that’s about kindness and being seen, and chat about whether or not The View from Saturday should be adapted for the screen. They also talk about elements of the book that most certainly did not hold up very well — most glaringly, its tendency to other characters of color and the use of a noose as a recurring image in the story.

Kate Stayman-London is a novelist, screenwriter, and political strategist. One to Watch is her first book. Follow her on Instagram (@_ksl) and Twitter (@_ksl).

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Roald Dahl may be a beloved children’s author, but he’s also a problematic figure. Similarly, The BFG is a beloved children’s book… but it’s not without its problems and complexities. On Episode 115 of SSR, Alli and her guest Christina Hammonds Reed break down The BFG — from its magical use of language to its xenophobic undertones, and everything in between.

Christina is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Black Kids. Follow her on Instagram (@christinahammondsreed).

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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 book in the series, The Bad Beginning, which was published in 1999.

Much of the conversation on the episode focuses on one core question: how dark is too dark for kids? There’s discussion about why kids love the darkness in the series, as well as Snicket’s tendency to write about incompetent adults and broken legal systems.

Kayla Graves is an essayist and educator working at the forefront of creating equitable and just urban communities. Her current series — Racism in American Cities — focuses on how various policies and events throughout American history have led to the creation of modern race relations in cities. Follow her on Instagram (@honeybuttergal).

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For some odd reason, Alli never read Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist when she was a teen reader herself, but she’s finally experiencing the David Levithan and Rachel Cohn novel for the first time on Episode 113! Tune in to hear her and her guest chat about so many things: the importance of music, the evolution in our language around queerness and gender fluidity, the way sexuality is leveraged against girls, the emotional power of YA, hotel vending machine makeout scenes, and so much more!

Sarah Wendell is the co-founder and current mastermind of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and the host of Smart Podcast, Trashy Books. She is also the author of Everything I Know About Love, I Learned from Romance Novels and Lighting the Flames, as well as the co-author of Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches’ Guide to Romance Novels. Follow her on Twitter (@SmartBitches) and Instagram (@smartbitches).

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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 Alli to discuss the fourth book in the iconic series, The Mystery at Lilac Inn. They chat about how Nancy Drew can be simultaneously trailblazing and problematic and take a deep dive into the ways in which the book portrays race, class, appearance, law enforcement, and more.

Listen to Novel Pairings wherever you find your favorite pods! Follow the show on Instagram (@novelpairingspod) and Twitter (@NovelPairings). Follow Sara (@fictionmatters) and Chelsey on Instagram (@chelseyreads), too!

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Author Suzanne Park joins Alli on Episode 111 to discuss Freaky Friday, the 1972 middle grade novel by Mary Rodgers that served as the inspiration for many adaptations, including the 2003 movie starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis. They discuss the differences between the book and the movies, focusing especially on how one fosters more empathy within the mother/daughter relationship than the other. They also discuss the book’s more problematic elements, namely a racist housekeeper and a misogynist dad. And they chat about the fundamental misunderstandings that exist between kids and parents!

Suzanne Park is the author of The Perfect Escape and Loathe at First Sight. Follow her on Instagram (@suzannepark) and Twitter (@suzannepark).

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