Best Alli Hoff Kosik Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 318: xoxo, SSR (Goodbye for now!) 49:05

2M ago49:05

49:05

It has been a wild, amazing ride and I couldn't be more grateful for all of your support over the years. Please enjoy this reflective last episode, which includes some of my thoughts on podcasting more broadly, a bit of housekeeping, and a whole lot of Q&A. Thank you for every little thing. Love, Alli KEEP IN TOUCH! Follow me on Instagram @allihoff…

1
Episode 317: Absolutely Normal Chaos (with Rebecca Fishbein) 57:35

2M ago57:35

57:35

For the last-ever guest episode of SSR, Alli is thrilled to revisit a book by one of her personal favorites, Sharon Creech. The book is Absolutely Normal Chaos, a diary-style read from the '90s that serves as a fascinating entry point to grief and loss for young readers. Tune in for a discussion about the emotional roller coaster of the book, but a…

1
Episode 316: Princess Academy (with London Sperry) 55:59

2M ago55:59

55:59

Add this to the list of Alli's favorite SSR reads of all-time—and just in time for the show to say goodbye in a couple of weeks! Nearly 20 years after it was published and won a Newbery Honor, Shannon Hale's Princess Academy was a delight to read and discuss. The book inspires conversations on Episode 316 about everything from hometown pride and tr…

1
Episode 315: WTF # 7 | WTF Do I Do to Promote a Book? 56:20

3M ago56:20

56:20

On this last installment of our monthly SSR: WTF (WriTing Friends) series, Alli and Abby look to the future! In anticipation of the 2026 publication of Alli's debut novel, they discuss all things book promotion: book events, PR boxes, social media icks, supporting authors online and IRL, newsletters, pre-orders, and more. They also chat more about …

1
Episode 314: Stacey's Big Crush (Baby-Sitters Club #65) (with Saumya Dave) 49:02

3M ago49:02

49:02

Bad news: this is the last Baby-Sitters Club-centric episode of SSR. Good news: this is an amazing Baby-Sitters Club-centric episode of SSR! This week, former BSC superfan Saumya Dave joins Alli for one final trip to Stoneybrook to hang with everyone's favorite young entrepreneurs. They discuss the sixty-fifth book in the series, Stacey's Big Crush…

1
Episode 313: The It Girl (with Asha Elias) 48:56

3M ago48:56

48:56

Beyond the ivy-covered walls of the Constance Billard School and the moneyed Upper East Side is upstate New York and the equally moneyed Waverly Academy—and Jenny Humphrey is bound for them as we meet her at the start of Gossip Girl spin-off, The It Girl! Episode 313 is a juicy deep dive into all things Boarding School Jenny: rich kids, nuanced mea…

1
Episode 312: Flowers for Algernon (with Emma Alban) 59:12

3M ago59:12

59:12

This week, Alli and her guest revisit some required reading from their school days in Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Picking up this 1966 novel was just as emotional and thought-provoking as picking up the 1959 short story was years ago, and this time around, they unpack the experience together on the podcast. Tune in for conversations about…

1
Episode 311: The Case of the 202 Clues (The New Adventures of Mary-Kate & Ashley) (with Jamie Harrow) 52:42

4M ago52:42

52:42

Grab your denim bucket hats, butterfly hair clips, and overalls, listeners, because we're going to the land of the Olsen twins! Episode 311 unpacks all things Mary-Kate and Ashley, with a special emphasis on their multiple book series and one of their mystery novels, The Case of the 202 Clues. After reading this book, Alli and her guest have lots o…

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Episode 310: WTF #6 | WTF Does My Writing Process Look Like in 2025? 1:03:14

4M ago1:03:14

1:03:14

It's the first SSR: WTF (WriTing Friends) episode of 2025, and it's only fitting that Alli and Abby kick off the new year with a discussion about routines, processes, practices, and how they're rethinking all of those things at the moment. They discuss their creative mindsets in the new year and compare notes about specific elements of their creati…

1
Episode 309: The Tower Treasure (The Hardy Boys #1) (with Christina Cooke) 59:27

4M ago59:27

59:27

At last, the Hardy Boys get an episode all their own! Episode 309 takes a deep dive into the first book in the series—The Tower Treasure—as well as the bestselling franchise as a whole... and the conversation is juicy! Launched in the 1920s, the Hardy Boys prompts discussion about gendered book marketing, racism, white saviorism, letting boys be bo…

1
Episode 308: The Hundred Dresses (with Kirsty Greenwood) 48:55

4M ago48:55

48:55

Many requests later, SSR has finally answered the call to cover The Hundred Dresses. Written by Eleanor Estes, published in 1944, and granted a Newbery Honor in 1945, this beautiful little book tackles the well-trod bullying narrative with a uniquely soft and empathetic hand. It creates space for conversations about what it means to play the bystan…

1
Episode 307: Girls in Love (with Lucy Jane Wood) 57:45

5M ago57:45

57:45

Happy New Year! We're kicking off 2025 with a conversation with a friend from across the pond, highlighting a series and book that's been a particular favorite for young readers in the U.K. Jacqueline Wilson's Girls in Love takes center stage! Tune into Episode 307 for discussions about fake boyfriends, shifting friendships, diet culture, self-imag…

1
Episode 306: Dinosaurs Before Dark (Magic Tree House #1) (with Kat Tang) 47:09

5M ago47:09

47:09

The Magic Tree House has been making readers, history buffs, and science geeks of kids for more than thirty years—and at long last, SSR dives in! Episode 306 covers all things Magic Tree House with a special focus on the first installment, Dinosaurs Before Dark. Alli and her guest chat about everything from the origin of Magic Tree House and unpopu…

1
Episode 305: WTF #5 | WTF Do You Do to Write a Memoir? (with Molly Roden Winter) 59:09

5M ago59:09

59:09

Alli and Abby are BACK for the fifth installment of SSR: WriTing Friends, this time for a conversation with memoirist Molly Roden Winter about the personal, vulnerable, intimate experience of putting one's own story on paper for public consumption. They put their heads together to consider the similarities and differences between writing fiction an…

1
Episode 304: The Catcher in the Rye (with Beth Kander) 1:04:12

6M ago1:04:12

1:04:12

On Episode 304, Alli and her guest right the wrong (???) of somehow missing The Catcher in the Rye in their reading lives. In this juicy, thoughtful episode, they consider the book's place in the American canon and on school reading lists everywhere. They chat about sad boy fiction, Holden Caulfield's complicated character and legacy, love bombing,…

1
Episode 303: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (with Sarai Johnson) 55:08

6M ago55:08

55:08

It's our first-ever holiday episode! No matter what you celebrate at this time of year, Episode 303 will get your wheels turning as we unpack The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Alli and her guest chat about the surprisingly religious bent of the book, among other things: the unruly children trope, nativity plays, the book's new ad…

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Episode 302: The Curse of the Ruby Necklace (Sweet Valley Twins) (with Sally Franson) 50:19

6M ago50:19

50:19

We’ve covered our fair share of Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield’s high school hi-jinx on the podcast, but at long last, Alli and her guest turn their attention to a kinder, softer version of the twins: the middle school sub-series, Sweet Valley Twins. Episode 302 is all about The Curse of the Ruby Necklace, which chronicles the ~super chilling~ jou…

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Episode 301: Troubling a Star (with Elise Hu) 49:34

6M ago49:34

49:34

This week, join Alli and her guest for an exciting voyage to Antarctica… and also for a conversation about Troubling a Star by Madeleine L’Engle. The fifth installment in L’Engle’s beloved Austin Family Chronicles series, the book was published in 1994 and explores subjects of espionage, nuclear waste dumping, drug trafficking, and more. Join the f…

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Episode 300: THREE HUNDRED! | A Retrospective 30:17

7M ago30:17

30:17

Join Alli as she marks the big 3-0-0 with a rare (and unscripted!) solo show. She reflects on why she struggled to plan this special episode, what she’s been thinking about as this milestone approaches, the journey she’s taken with SSR since 2018, and the behind-the-scenes struggles she rarely shares. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! Cheers to 300 episodes…

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Episode 299: The Princess Bride (with Georgia Clark) 45:49

7M ago45:49

45:49

As you wish(ed), listeners, it’s time to unpack The Princess Bride. Alli and her guest focus on the 1973 novel by William Goldman but bring in lots of context from the cult classic movie, as well. Adventures, unreasonable beauty standards, metanarratives, beloved characters, and iconic lines abound! Georgia Clark is an award-winning, six-times publ…

1
Episode 298: Tiger Eyes (with Courtney Preiss) 1:06:59

7M ago1:06:59

1:06:59

Almost seven years into SSR, we’ve covered almost all of Judy Blume’s kid lit masterpieces. On Episode 298, Alli and her guest dive into a Blume novel that feels like something of an outlier: Tiger Eyes, which was published in 1981. In it, Judy takes a darker tone, exploring matters of violence, loss, hypocrisy, and mental health. Tune in to learn …

1
Episode 297: Looking for Alaska (with Alissa DeRogatis) 53:54

7M ago53:54

53:54

At long last, it's John Green time! Episode 297 unpacks Looking for Alaska, the YA superstar's award-winning debut novel. Conversations range from manic pixie dream girls and the male gaze to addiction and the problematic language that made Alli and her guest cringe in 2024. TW: suicide, addiction, parental loss Alissa DeRogatis is the author of Ca…

1
Episode 296: Ramona the Brave (with Jessie Rosen) 59:52

8M ago59:52

59:52

You already know that Ramona Quimby is curious, precocious, hilarious, and bold... but now she gets to be brave, too. On Episode 296, Alli and her guest take a close look at the third book in Beverly Cleary's beloved Ramona series, Ramona the Brave. There's classroom enemies, feminism, craft projects, scary new bedrooms, and big moments of self-est…

1
Episode 295: WTF #4 | WTF Is My Sign... And What Does It Mean? 1:02:44

8M ago1:02:44

1:02:44

Abby and Alli welcome their first-ever guest to the WriTing Friends series for a conversation about the publishing process, astrology, and everything in between. Carinn Jade is the co-host of Pop Fiction Women and the author of The Astrology House. Follow her on Instagram @carinnjade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
Episode 294: Someone Like You 1:11:29

8M ago1:11:29

1:11:29

Longtime listeners know that Sarah Dessen books always, always bring the spice and juicy discussion to the podcast. This episode is no exception as Alli and her guest dish about 1998's Someone Like You. The book tackles a lot of issues—and we try to do the same on today's show. Topics include bad boyfriends, intense friendships, losing your virgini…

1
Episode 293: The Wanderer 51:56

8M ago51:56

51:56

Jump aboard Episode 293 for a transatlantic voyage on the gorgeous writing of kid lit GOAT, Sharon Creech. This week, it's all about her 2000 Newbery Honor winner, The Wanderer, and the big thinking it inspires. Alli and her guest dive into discussions of trauma, accidental feminism, real-world fantasy, diary-style writing, and so much more. Charle…

1
Episode 292: Mary Anne Saves the Day (Baby-Sitters Club #4) 58:39

9M ago58:39

58:39

Join Alli and her guest for a trip to one of our favorite settings: Stonybrook, Connecticut—home of the Baby-Sitters Club. This time, the discussion focuses on the fourth book in Ann M. Martin's beloved series, Mary Anne Saves the Day, which is a critical text in the BSC cinematic universe. Tune in to Episode 292 to hear us talk about Mary Anne's d…

1
Episode 291: Mockingjay 1:04:41

9M ago1:04:41

1:04:41

At long last, we tackle the final book in the original Hunger Games trilogy: Mockingjay. This is a heavy book, so there's lots to get into in this episode: cycles of violence, the consequences of war, what it means to be a symbol, PTSD, and plenty of moral ambiguity. And it wouldn't be a Hunger Games episode (of course) without a Team Gale vs. Team…

1
Episode 290: WTF #3 | (Main) Character Energy 57:37

9M ago57:37

57:37

Welcome back to SSR: WriTing Friends! This time around, Alli and Abby are digging a little deeper into one of their favorite elements of the writing process: creating characters. They discuss what inspires their characters, how they create nuanced fictional people, and what it's like to find compassion for antagonists. They also consider the challe…

1
Episode 289: Alone in the Crowd (Sweet Valley High #28) 56:12

9M ago56:12

56:12

It’s been too long since we paid a visit to Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield in good old Sweet Valley, California. Let’s fix that! Episode 289 covers the twenty-eighth installment in Francine Pascal’s beloved series, Alone in the Crowd, a book that explores insecurity, songwriting, the complicated nature of mother/daughter relationships, and rocking…

1
BONUS EPISODE: All About Judy Blume! 49:51

9M ago49:51

49:51

This special bonus episode features Rachelle Bergstein, author of the new book The Genius of Judy. In it, Alli and Rachelle cover all things related to SSR queen JUDY BLUME! They chat about Judy's journey to publication, the process of researching her career, their favorite (and maybe least favorite) Judy books, the Blume legacy, feminism, book ban…

1
Episode 288: The New Girl (Fear Street #1) 57:18

9M ago57:18

57:18

This week, SSR gets a jump on Halloween festivities with a long overdue trip to R.L. Stine’s Fear Street. Specifically, Episode 288 is all about the first title in the series, The New Girl, in which a lovesick teenager falls for a villain disguised as a manic pixie dream girl. The book takes us into conversations about the horror genre as a whole, …

1
Episode 287: Fearless 1:01:27

10M ago1:01:27

1:01:27

Colleen McKeegan returns this week to celebrate another book hitting the shelves and to unpack another one of her favorite summer reads from childhood. This time, it's Fearless by Francine Pascal (RIP!)—the first title in a series of the same name that explores the nature of fear, social anxiety, vigilantism, and (of course) the dramas of teenage r…

1
Episode 286: WTF #2 | Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsing or Plotting 48:17

10M ago48:17

48:17

On the second installment of our SSR: WriTing Friends series, Alli and Abby focus on the writing process: plotting, pantsing, and everything in between. They talk about their own approaches to writing fiction, how those approaches might continue to evolve over time, how we learn from characters, the importance of maintaining forward motion in our w…

1
Episode 285: How to Eat Fried Worms 52:00

10M ago52:00

52:00

Let's talk about How to Eat Fried Worms! Thomas Rockwell's 1973 book has never been out-of-print, which is a pretty big deal. On Episode 285, Alli and her guest discuss this little morsel of a novel that really is as simple as its title. They talk about gendered book marketing, how the book might be different in 2024, banned books, betting in child…

1
Episode 284: Uglies 1:08:37

10M ago1:08:37

1:08:37

By popular demand, we are finally covering Scott Westerfeld's Uglies! Alli and her guests talk about the book's unique place in the broader dystopian genre, consider its lack of diversity, and analyze the many messages it sends about everything from body image and aging to beauty standards and friendship. This week's guests are Neha and Shruti, the…

1
Episode 283: Franny and Zooey 59:41

11M ago59:41

59:41

This week, SSR takes it all the way back to 1961 for a discussion about a classic: J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey. Alli and her guest talk about the book’s publishing history and deep dive into its content: insufferable men, existential dread, the nature of wisdom, quarter-life crises, and emotional states best shared via AIM away message. TW: su…

1
Episode 282: WTF #1 | Getting to Know You 57:54

11M ago57:54

57:54

Welcome to the first episode of SSR: WriTing Friends! This new monthly series—co-hosted by Abby Wolfe—is a fun look at the writing process from multiple perspectives and stops along the way. Broadly speaking, our goal with WTF is to make the writing process transparent at every stage and to further connect readers and writers in this community and …

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Episode 281: A Journey to the New World (Dear America) 49:59

11M ago49:59

49:59

Timed appropriately (and accidentally) with the 4th of July holiday, Episode 281 is a return to the beloved Dear America series! This time, Alli and her guest tag along on a frankly miserable journey on the Mayflower with Remember Patience Whipple in 1620. The book is A Journey to the New World and it was written by Kathryn Lasky and published in 1…

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Episode 280: Keep Out, Claudia! (Baby-Sitters Club #56) 1:03:04

11M ago1:03:04

1:03:04

For the first time this year, we’re back to Stoney Brook with our favorite sitters! The fifty-sixth book in the series explores blatant racism… while the girls produce a musical with their young charges. There’s a lot going on! Episode 280 breaks down the way race and racism are portrayed in Ann M. Martin’s fictional world, looking closely at which…

1
Episode 279: The Tale of Despereaux 40:04

12M ago40:04

40:04

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 manag…

1
Episode 278: Bookseller Q&A 37:06

12M ago37:06

37:06

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 …

1
Episode 277: The Two Princesses of Bamarre 1:04:55

12M ago1:04:55

1:04:55

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 …

1
Episode 276: Welcome Back! 42:00

1y ago42:00

42:00

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 …

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Episode 275: Listenersode 2023! 45:25

1+ y ago45:25

45:25

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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in…

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Episode 274: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 1:01:00

1+ y ago1:01:00

1:01:00

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, pra…

1
Episode 273: Among the Hidden 59:44

1+ y ago59:44

59:44

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 2…

1
Episode 272: Fantastic Mr. Fox 41:39

1+ y ago41:39

41:39

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. Bes…

1
Episode 271: Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute (New Reads November) 59:50

1+ y ago59:50

59:50

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 w…

1
Episode 270: Throwback (New Reads November) 1:05:39

1+ y ago1:05:39

1:05:39

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 co…

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Alli Hoff Kosik Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen