January 20, 2026

January 2026

"We're glad you're still here."

It's something that people say with somewhat disconcerting regularity in the store. I usually try to receive it in the spirit in which it is offered. Sometimes, it seems to express gratitude that there is still an independent bookstore to visit and in which to find things and occasionally talk about them. Other times, I take it more like "We're glad that *this* store that I love hasn't gone away." (We are too.)

But lately, I find myself taking the question in its most existential resonance. I'll stare into the distance for a quiet second and say "... *Am* I?... " And then we both laugh because they have picked up *my* implicit meaning. In an instant of recognition, we are sharing a moment of laughter in a safe place full of interesting things and beautiful distractions and the most durable comforts of community. When the world seems to have gone crazy (and it has been doing that a lot), I really am glad that I'm still here, but I'm also glad that we are as well, and it is a seriously magical thing.

Which is another way of saying: we're glad you're here.

Store News

Used Books: No More "Purple Cash"

We're transitioning from paper credit slips (aka "purple cash") to digital tracking for used book trades. Your balance will be tracked digitally—no more lost slips! Choose 20% of cover value towards used and new books, or 30% for used book purchases.

Book Club Updates

Clubs with 5+ members receive 20% discount on selections. Register your club on our website so your members can be reminded of the current book and purchase at a discount.

Calendars are all 15% off

There's still time to get your 2026 sorted out.

Books for Young Readers

Conventional wisdom tells us that January is a very lean time for new books, but tell that to this ragtag group of new books.

The Wildest Thing
by Emily Winfield Martin
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A Waffle Lot of Love! (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #10)
by Ben Clanton
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Bored
by Felicita Sala
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For the Fans! (KPop Demon Hunters): Official Storybook
by Angela Song (Adapter)
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Moomintroll Builds a House
by Golden Books
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Ms. Rachel's Birthday Book
by Ms. Rachel
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Jane Goodall: 5-Minute Genius Stories
by Heather Alexander; Illustrated by Sally Walker
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What a Small Cat Needs
by Natalia Shaloshvili
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The Moon Without Stars
by Chanel Miller
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A Barista's Guide to Love & Larceny
by Caroline Bonin
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Dragon Cursed
by Elise Kova
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Staff Picks

The Way Around: A Field Guide to Going Nowhere
by Nicholas Triolo

If you’ve ever felt like the best way to find yourself is to get a little bit lost on a trail, this is your book. Triolo  a philosophical memoir that challenges our culture's obsession with "getting to the top." The book is structured around three major "revolutions" that serve as deep meditations on life, grief, and the environment: journeys around Mount Kailash in Tibet, Mount Tamalpais in California, and the Berkeley Pit in Montana. It’s a beautiful exploration of movement and stillness that feels like a long, deep breath—perfect for reading by the fire while the January rain does its thing outside

Cabin Head and Tree Head
by Scott Campbell

Scott Campbell (you might know his Hug Machine) has created a wonderfully off-the-wall graphic novel for early readers whose premise is delightfully simple: one friend has a cabin on his head, the other has a tree. The logic doesn't matter as much as the heart; these are stories about supporting each other's wildest ideas—like digging for treasure without a map or having a "hello" contest. It’s the kind of book that celebrates the freewheeling creativity of how kids actually play, with watercolor-bright adventures about friendship that feel irrepressible. What a burst of joy. Already read over and over (and over) in my household.

New Books

New year, new books. We don't care how many books your loved one got you over the holidays, there's room for one more.

Cover of Football
Cover of Half His Age
The First Time I Saw Him
by Laura Dave
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The Storm
by Rachel Hawkins
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The School of Night
by Karl Ove Knausgaard
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Detour
by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart
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Call Me Ishmaelle
by Xiaolu Guo
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Beautiful Ugly
by Alice Feeney
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Cover of How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder
Is This a Cry for Help?
by Emily Austin
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American Reich: A Murder in Orange County, Neo-Nazis, and a New Age of Hate
by Eric Lichtblau
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The Light of Day
by Christopher Stephens & Louise Radnofsky
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The Hitch
by Sara Levine
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Homeschooled: A Memoir
by Stefan Merrill Block
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Cover of Vigil
Cover of Neptune's Fortune

Famous Last Words

"Are there any questions?"
Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale


We don't have any answers in the sense of Margaret Atwood's unsettlingly ambiguous closing, but we do have some ideas for taking your reading game to the next level.

Next month we'll be announcing our own 2026 reading challenge. But if you're looking to shake up your reading habits right now, Libro.fm has launched their 2026 audiobook challenge. It's a good way to support us through our partner, Libro.fm.

Hope to see you soon!
--Steven and everybody at Port Book and News