diff --git a/src/__tests__/useSelector.test.js b/src/__tests__/useSelector.test.js
index afe17fc..cce7dd0 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/useSelector.test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/useSelector.test.js
@@ -21,7 +21,52 @@ describe('useSelector', () => {
     store = createStore({})
   })
 
-  describe('core subscription behavior', () => {
+  describe('core select by string subscription behaviour ', () => {
+    let tester
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      store.setState({
+        foo: 'foo',
+        bar: 'bar'
+      })
+
+      const Comp = () => {
+        const { foo, bar } = useSelector('foo,bar')
+
+        return (
+          <div>
+            <div data-testid='foo'>{foo}</div>
+            <div data-testid='bar'>{bar}</div>
+          </div>
+        )
+      }
+
+      tester = ptl.render(
+        <StoreProvider value={store}>
+          <Comp />
+        </StoreProvider>
+      )
+    })
+
+    it('selects the state on intial render', () => {
+      expect(tester.getByTestId('foo')).toHaveTextContent('foo')
+      expect(tester.getByTestId('bar')).toHaveTextContent('bar')
+    })
+
+    it('selects the state and renders the component when the store updates', () => {
+      ptl.act(() => {
+        store.setState({
+          foo: 'fooB',
+          bar: 'barB'
+        })
+      })
+
+      expect(tester.getByTestId('foo')).toHaveTextContent('fooB')
+      expect(tester.getByTestId('bar')).toHaveTextContent('barB')
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('core selector function subscription behavior', () => {
     let tester
 
     beforeEach(() => {
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 9a95499..0afa2ac 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -9,12 +9,26 @@ const useIsomorphicLayoutEffect = typeof window !== 'undefined' ? useLayoutEffec
 
 const refEquality = (a, b) => a === b
 
+// select('foo,bar') creates a function of the form: ({ foo, bar }) => ({ foo, bar })
+const select = (properties) => {
+  properties = properties.split(/\s*,\s*/)
+
+  return state => {
+    const selected = {}
+    for (let i = 0; i < properties.length; i++) {
+      selected[properties[i]] = state[properties[i]]
+    }
+    return selected
+  }
+}
+
 export const StoreContext = createContext(null)
 
 export const StoreProvider = StoreContext.Provider
 
 export const useStore = () => useContext(StoreContext)
 
+// selector can be a string 'foo,bar' or a function (state => state.foo)
 export const useSelector = (selector, equalityFn = refEquality) => {
   const store = useStore()
   const [, forceRerender] = useReducer(s => s + 1, 0)
@@ -22,12 +36,14 @@ export const useSelector = (selector, equalityFn = refEquality) => {
   const selectorRef = useRef(null)
   const selectedStateRef = useRef(null)
   const onChangeErrorRef = useRef(null)
+  const isSelectorStr = (typeof selector === 'string')
 
   let selectedState
 
   try {
     if (selectorRef.current !== selector || onChangeErrorRef.current) {
-      selectedState = selector(store.getState())
+      const state = store.getState()
+      selectedState = isSelectorStr ? select(selector)(state) : selector(state)
     } else {
       selectedState = selectedStateRef.current
     }
@@ -43,7 +59,7 @@ export const useSelector = (selector, equalityFn = refEquality) => {
   }
 
   useIsomorphicLayoutEffect(() => {
-    selectorRef.current = selector
+    selectorRef.current = isSelectorStr ? select(selector) : selector
     selectedStateRef.current = selectedState
     onChangeErrorRef.current = null
   })