The SSR Podcast

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 manager and event coordinator at Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, NJ. Follow her @thesaltybookworm.

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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 in the store

* How she comes up with the perfect recommendations for customers

* What she does when she doesn’t know anything about (or like!) a book requested by a customer

* The throwback reads young bookworms still request in the store

* Her favorite and least favorite parts of the job

* What it’s like to plan author events

… and so much more! Kate also shares a summer reading preview!

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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 space for conversations about so many of our favorite tropes from kid lit of the early aughts. Alli and her guest also explore the connection between fairy retellings (like Gail Carson Levine’s work, including Ella Enchanted) and the wildly popular romantasy trend of 2024 (think Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses).

Chelsey Feder of @chelseyreads, Novel Pairings, and The Eclectic Reader is back for a record-breaking FOURTH appearance!

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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 and Chelsey discuss two major developments in Alli’s life, as well as what her reading routine has looked like recently. You’ll also hear more about what to expect from this new chapter of SSR.

Big thanks to Chelsey for joining as co-host for this special episode… and to all of YOU for your patience and support!

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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!

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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, pragmatism vs. idealism, the evolution of our language around mental health, financial insecurity, red flags, anti-Semitism, and how they might have experienced a book like this had they read it as children.

TW: addiction, death of a parent, infant loss

Ore Agbaje-Williams is the author of The Three of Us. Follow her on Instagram (@oreawilliams).

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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 273 covers everything from reproductive rights and propaganda to the history of dystopian literature and different types of activism.

Claire Ahn is the author of I Guess I Live Here Now. Follow her on Instagram (@cuhlaireahn).

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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.

Bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto is known for a number of books, including Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, Dial A for Aunties, and The Obsession. Her latest YA novel is called Didn’t See That Coming. Follow her on Instagram (@jesseqsutanto) and Twitter (@thewritinghippo).

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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 which there are two sides to every story.

Thanks to Brittany (@britsgotbooks), Cait (@whatcaitreads), and Shira (@shira243) for being part of this first-ever Patreon episode of the podcast! Join the Patreon family to get in on the fun HERE.

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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 consider who Throwback is meant for and discuss the book’s origin story.

Becca Freeman is the author of The Christmas Orphans Club and co-host of the Bad on Paper podcast. Follow her on Instagram (@beccamfreeman).

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