Porter Square Books Staff Picks: February 2023

Nine Color Deers by Kailin Duan

Please open to any page of this picture book. Have you done it? Good, then that should be all I need to convince you this book is amazing. If that hasn't done it, how about this: The Nine Color Deer is a beautiful retelling of a classic Chinese tale emphasizing generosity, gratitude, keeping promises, and conservation. — Katherine

Ear Worm! by Jo Knowles, illustrated by Galia Bernstein

There's a song stuck in Little Worm's head, and he's trying to find out who put it there! But all his friends have OTHER songs stuck in their heads. What's a worm to do? Great for reading, singing, and dancing along to. — Piera

Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin

Colorful, quirky and hilarious, Adam Rubin's book about dragons is an instant classic and staple for storytimes everywhere. Follow along as these taco loving reptiles fly straight to your and your child's hearts. — Jen

Partners in Crime by Alisha Rai

Full of bizarre barters, hostage situations, illegal poker games, and even party infiltrations, Alisha Rai's Partners in Crime follows two exes on their accidental journey into the shady underbelly of Las Vegas. Discussions of family, tradition, and what it means to find your path in a world so full of obstacles in your way are not swept under the rug in this ambitious and boundary-breaking novel--instead, they're amplified by everything both Mira and Naveen stand to lose if they fail to deliver on their promises. This book is a perfect, genre-bending delight. — Cindy

Angelina and the Royal Wedding by Katharine Holabird, illustrated by Helen Craig

In this new iconic installment of the beloved Angelina Ballerina series, Angelina is going to a wedding... but not just any old wedding, it's one for the Mouseland Royals! The invitation sounds great at first, but Angelina quickly realizes that there's so much to prepare... she has a ballet routine to learn, dress fittings to attend... A little hardship has never deterred Angelina, however. Determined to make a great first impression, she takes all of this on and more. The only question now is, will all this practice and preparation pay off in a disaster-free event? — Cindy

My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

My Heart is a Chainsaw is a both a thrilling novel and a lecture on slasher lore. Jade, local teen and horror expert, is facing down graduation, unsure of what comes next. Until two randos go missing in Indian Lake, and the perfect Final Girl shows up. Jade rushes to both convince the town and prepare the Final Girl for the carnage that is sure to follow. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and there were multiple points where I had to put it down and walk away until I was convinced it was safe to go on. Stephen Graham Jones is a genius, and no horror fan will want to miss out on this amazing tale. — Katherine

Oceanology: The True Account of the Voyage of the Nautilus by Ferdinand Zoticus de Lesseps

Look at this! It's beautiful! Alternative history in the deep sea. I'm sold. (This endorsement brought to you by Stacey) — Engel

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey

Actually, this book is really F’ing great. It is funny as hell, smart, poignant, painful and relatable. There is nothing romantic about divorce, and Monica Heisey captures the messy search for meaning (and joy?) with hilarity and tenderness. Too bad this book wasn’t around years ago because some of us would have clutched it to their chest as they cried in a heap in their closet over their failed marriage (or any failure for that matter) and thanked God Monica came into their life and was now their BFF. But don’t you worry - even if you are one of those happy, well-adjusted, non-single people (goodie for you) you will still ADORE this book and not be able to put it down! — Babbie

The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon

Grey's Anatomy meets the Brown Sisters in this rivals-with-benefits to lovers romance. Filled with chemistry, humor, and wit, The Hookup Plan is a must read for all Romance fans. — Katherine

The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li

The Book of Goose explores the deep psychological and emotional bond between two best friends in war ravaged 1950’s St Remy, France. The relationship between Fabienne and Agnes is devastating yet true. Fabienne is a realist while Agnes is eternally hopeful. Their complementary personalities are ripe for love, yet they are also ripe for betrayal. The girls transform the world they live in through make believe games, eventually scribing a novel few people believe them capable of. This is one of those crisp and concise novels with beautiful sentences to dwell upon. Yiyun Li does a masterful job of illuminating so many universal truths, the most poignant of which is that the world makes up stories about us all. — Jeannie, GrubStreet

(This pick is discounted in Porter Square Books: Boston Edition exclusively.)

Books Aren't For Eating by Carlie Sorosiak

A playful picture book about the value of a good story. Join bookseller Leopold as he tries to find the perfect read that will tempt a goat into reading a book instead of eating it! Perfect for a cozy bedtime book. — Kendall

Night Lunch by Eric Fan

Night Lunch paints a beautiful picture of the nighttime world of a number of animals, all coming together to share a meal. The art is gorgeous and the drawings give the animals so much personality, and it's both a visually interesting read and a sweet story of kindness. — Annie