The Brief

A few reasons for reading science fiction.

It makes you think.

“When sci-fi is done really, really well, it is profound,” says Octavia E. Butler Magnet librarian Natalie Daily. “The way that it makes you think about the future, the way it makes you think about humanity.”

The future is cool. 

Grayson Schnitger is a sixth grader at the Pasadena middle school and says his dad first recommended sci-fi.

“I like just reading stuff that could happen and, like, knowing possibilities in the future,” Grayson says.

It can make you a better human. 

Big Marvel franchises first hooked eighth grader Brooklyn Roffman.

“So I started to research what kind of genre The Avengers were,” Brooklyn says. “I saw, ‘Oh, science fiction? I bet I'll like this kind of stuff.’” And she did.

Brooklyn says she’s “a big catastrophizer,” but reading about dystopian and post-apocalypse futures isn’t depressing, it’s motivating.

“I just start thinking, ‘How did this happen and how can I prevent this from happening?’” Brooklyn says.

LAist recently reported a story about the Pasadena middle school Butler once attended — that now bears her name — and has these recommendations from the adults. And, more importantly, from students.

Kindred

By Octavia E. Butler; graphic novel adaptation by Damian Duffy

“I thought, wow, this is weird, but it's really good,” Brooklyn says.

Butler’s 1979 novel is the story of a contemporary California woman transported to the plantation where her ancestors were enslaved. The book was adapted into a graphic novel in 2018.

“I’m mixed,” Brooklyn says. Her background includes African American, Irish, and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. “A lot of people don't see that.”

“There's been a lot of like, feeling like I'm not Black enough, if that makes sense. Or like, I'm not enough of what I am,” Brooklyn says. “I don't fit into any of the boxes. And so in a lot of Octavia's works, it's quite often about characters who don't really fit into a box.”

Amulet

by Kazu Kibuishi

Sixth grader Naila Walker has read five parts of this nine-volume graphic novel series about a young girl, a magical amulet, and a world of robots and elves.

“It's kind of, like, mysterious and, like, magical,” Naila says. “They run around and do all these adventures, which I think is really fun.”

The Last Cuentista

by Donna Barba Higuera

Protagonist Petra Peña’s world is ending and the girl is among the few chosen to continue the human race.

“Not everybody gets to go,” Daily says. “That's a humanity question, right? How do we choose who we save, right? And those are questions that exist now in our country.”

The novel picked up some of the highest awards for children’s literature, including the John Newbery Medal.

The Maze Runner

by James Dashner

A disease has decimated the Earth and the teenagers of the future must navigate a treacherous artificial maze to survive.

“It's a combination of mystery and science fiction,” Grayson said of the series. “That's what makes it like one of my favorite books.”

Star Child

by Ibi Zoboi

This one is from me — Star Child is unlike any biography I’ve ever read.

Zoboi weaves together Butler’s words, artifacts, and original poetry into a “biographical constellation” of the author’s early life.

Among the pages I sticky-noted to revisit later is the poem “Imagination II,” which imagines Butler as a creator of worlds.

“her own universe of stars and planets and heroes / to free us all from this confined planetarium/ made up of other people’s imaginations.”

The STEAM Chasers

by Doresa Jennings

Nikki High, owner of Pasadena shop Octavia’s Bookshelf, recommends this three-book series about a group of friends who uncover the contributions of Black American inventors.

Where to pick up a copy

Octavia E. Butler championed public libraries throughout her life — the city’s libraries became her second home. Butler wrote her first novel from downtown Los Angeles’ Central Library. And your local library is where you can also find these books listed above — for free!

But if you're inclined to own a copy, here are some of our favorite places to shop for books:

• Children’s Book World — A longstanding and vast west L.A. outpost for children’s books. Location: 10580 1/2 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles.
• Gallery Nucleus— There’s an eclectic shelf of books and gifts for kids at this art gallery that often highlights pop culture and also carries prints from children’s illustrators. Location: 210 East Main St., Alhambra.
• LA Librería — Specializes in Spanish-language books for kids. Location: 4732 W. Washington Blvd., Mid-City.
• Malik Books — African American books and gifts, including for children. Location: 3650 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Ste 245, Crenshaw and Westfield Culver City Mall, 6000 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City.
• MiJa Books — An online Lakewood-based bookseller focused on multicultural children’s books. Watch their website for appearances at school book fairs and pop-up events.
• Octavia’s Bookshelf — This Pasadena bookstore is named for one of the city’s most revered authors, Octavia Butler, and owner Nikki High contributed several recommendations to this list. Her bookstore carries titles mainly from authors of color. Location: 1365 North Hill Ave., Pasadena. 
• Once Upon A Time Bookstore — The nation's oldest continuously running children’s book purveyor. Location: 2207 Honolulu Ave., Montrose.
• The Salt Eaters Bookshop — Bookstore focused on works by and about Black women, girls and gender expansive people with has a small, but colorful children’s book section. Location: 302 E Queen St., Inglewood. 
• Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural and Bookstore — The shop focuses on Xicanx, Latinx, and Indigenous stories. The multi-use space also hosts arts workshops and other community gatherings. Location: 12677 Glenoaks Blvd., Sylmar.

A woman was arrested for allegedly trafficking arms on behalf of the Iranian government at LAX on Saturday night, according to authorities.

Shamim Mafi of Woodland Hills is charged with helping the regime sell drones, bombs and millions of rounds of ammunition to Sudan.

Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, made the arrest announcement Sunday morning on social media.

The 44-year-old Mafi is expected to appear in court for a bond hearing Monday afternoon in downtown L.A.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the Department of Justice and obtained by LAist, Mafi allegedly brokered weapons deals on behalf of Iran through Atlas International, a business in Oman she co-owns, including facilitating a contract valued at more than €60 million (or some US $70 million) for the sale of Iranian-made armed drones to Sudan.

She is also being accused of brokering the sale of 55,000 bomb fuses, AK-47 machine guns and other weapons to the Sudanese Ministry of Defense.

Mafi faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

Essayli said Mafi is an Iranian national who became a permanent resident of the U.S. in 2016.

After weeks of waiting to hear how — or whether — the U.S. government might refund the tariffs struck down by the Supreme Court, Monday is the day it finally begins.

Imagine tens of thousands of business owners with their fingers hovering over laptops, ready to enter America's hottest new queue: the U.S. tariff-refund portal.

U.S. Customs is launching just the first phase of payouts, so not all the goods imported under the illegal tariffs will immediately qualify. And the latest federal guidance says that after refund requests are approved, it could take 60 to 90 days to return the money to the importer.

Still, this marks a turning point for U.S. importers, who've waited for clarity for exactly two months since the U.S. Supreme Court declared most of President Trump's tariffs unconstitutional. The high court did not opine on the process of refunds, and government officials at first suggested the process could prove unwieldy.

"Small businesses organized, spoke out, and won a major victory," said Main Street Alliance, which advocates for U.S. small businesses, in a statement. "Now, the federal government must follow through with a refund process that truly works for Main Street."

U.S. Customs has estimated that it owes a total of $166 billion in tariff refunds, and the agency's legal filings suggest that the initial phase would tackle the majority of affected imports. On Tuesday, a Customs official told a judge that the vast majority of eligible importers signed up for electronic payments, as the agency is requiring, and that group is owed about $127 billion.

Will consumers see any of that money land in their pockets? Probably not, economics and legal experts say.

The cost of tariffs has been woven into the prices of many products in a way that can make it hard to separate out what customers ultimately paid. Often, manufacturers, suppliers, importers, retailers and shoppers all absorb costs along the way. And with tariffs landing on the heels of historic inflation, companies big and small have argued that they ate much of the cost to avoid spooking shoppers with higher prices.

In fact, many retailers find themselves in a similar quandary because tariff refunds will go to whoever paid the actual customs bill. It's unclear how, or if, the refunds might trickle down to store owners who paid tariff surcharges to their suppliers.

"As a retailer, I didn't pay tariffs directly. However, I did pay them indirectly in the form of higher wholesale prices," says Joe Kimray, owner of B & W Hardware in North Carolina. Most of his products are either made abroad or use imported parts.

"I plan to have conversations with a number of manufacturers and hope that they will do the right thing and share some of the tariff refund money with us," he says. "I don't expect to get a direct refund check from anyone, but it could be even as simple as offering discounts on the wholesale cost of future product purchases."

Shoppers hoping to recoup their own tariff expenses have launched class-action lawsuits against several companies, including Costco and FedEx. The shipping giant has pledged to pass down any refunds it receives. Costco's CEO last month told investors the company would return shoppers' money through "lower prices and better values" and would be transparent about its plans.

U.S. Customs' initial phase of refunds will focus on tariff payments that haven't been finalized because they technically are still under federal review. (Companies typically pay import duties as soon as their goods arrive at the border, but the complete customs review that follows can take nearly a year.) The government will continue to set up its new system, called CAPE, so that it can later on refund older, finalized tariff payments.

NPR asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection about the scale of tariff refunds it expects to handle in the first phase, including the volume of claims the agency's new tool is prepared to handle on Monday. A CBP spokesperson in response said that CAPE was developed "to efficiently process refunds" and referred importers and brokers to the agency's updated tariff-refund guidance.

NPR's Scott Horsley contributed to this report.
Copyright 2026 NPR

Monopoly lovers can now buy up the Queen Mary, collect rent on Belmont Shore and park their token at a storied tattoo shop, Outer Limits.

The Long Beach landmarks line the spaces of a new Monopoly edition themed around L.A. County’s second biggest city, released just this month.

The Long Beach edition is part of an expanding series of Monopoly games featuring dozens of American cities, which Hasbro licensee Top Trumps started to produce about five years ago when interest in board games surged during the pandemic.

What it takes to make the cut

How does a city land on one of the world's most popular board games? Turns out, it’s not just a roll of the dice.

“We’re looking for places with strong community pride, places where people will really love seeing their city on a Monopoly board,” said Jennifer Tripsea, a partnership sales executive with Top Trumps.

Long Beach fit the bill and got to join a list of SoCal cities on Monopoly boards including Huntington Beach, Riverside and Palm Springs.

Tripsea said in some instances, a city will pitch themselves to the company — she didn’t disclose which have — but not every place makes the cut.

There has to be enough population — or local enthusiasm — to support a run of thousands of games.

Top Trumps sells the games online and through local businesses, sometimes the same ones featured on the board. That creates a built-in customer base: residents, tourists and collectors hunting for their next addition.

And while some businesses may offer to sponsor their way into consideration, their inclusion isn’t a given.

Tripsea said when deciding who earns a spot, the company weighs cultural relevance, brand standards and community input.

The community gets a turn

Once a city is selected, residents are invited to help shape the board.

That means emailing suggested landmarks and drafting potential Chance and Community Chest cards. For Long Beach, one Community Chest card directs players to collect $100 if they "attend a beach cleanup at Alamitos Beach."

Hundreds of submissions flooded in over the last year, many pointing to the same top attractions, Tripsea said. The Queen Mary and Aquarium of the Pacific take up the same spots on the board that are occupied by Park Place and Boardwalk in the original game.

Of course the Queen Mary historic ocean liner landed a plum spot on the Long Beach version of Monopoly.

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Patrick T. Fallon

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Getty Images

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Others featured on the board are lesser known to outsiders, like Rosie’s Dog Beach and the Arts Council for Long Beach.

The arts nonprofit was “surprised and excited” to hear from Top Trumps last year that they were being included in a version all about Long Beach, said interim executive director Lisa DeSmidt.

“I describe Long Beach as a big city that's run like a small town, and that everybody kind of knows each other to some degree,” DeSmidt said. “Long Beach has a sense of community in that Long Beach takes care of Long Beach people.”

An intern for the Arts Council for Long Beach designed its space on the Monopoly board.

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Arts Council for Long Beach

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An intern for the arts council, Peyton Smith, designed its space on the board, featuring small, intricate renderings of landmarks like the Long Beach Airport and the pyramid arena at Cal State Long Beach.

For DeSmidt, the game serves as a kind of cultural snapshot highlighting the city’s mix of arts, neighborhoods and institutions. It’s reminiscent of the council’s own project mapping the city’s cultural assets.

“This ties into uplifting what makes Long Beach unique and what people love about it,” DeSmidt said.

Monopoly's lasting pull

Outer Limits Tattoo was also invited to be part of the game, where it now appears next to VIP Records on the board.

Recognized as the country’s oldest continuously working tattoo shop, Outer Limits’ history dates back to 1927, when it opened in the waterfront amusement district known as The Pike, now home to the Pike Outlets.

Outer Limits' general manager Matt Hand said once word got out that the shop was stocking the game, customers started showing up just to buy it.

“It’s just a cool thing,” Hand said. “Especially when it’s like, ‘The business where I get tattooed’ is on the board.”

A big reason Hand thinks these editions are catching on is nostalgia. Seeing your own city in a board game that you played as a kid — and may be now playing with your own kids — is thrilling.

“You're basically like a part of the game now,” Hand said.

You might have noticed a little more purple on your commute in Los Angeles recently. Turns out the jacarandas are putting on their annual show of blooms a little early this year.

Originally from the tropics, jacarandas respond to changes in temperature. They typically flower in our region from late April to mid-June.

But remember that sweltering heat wave we got in March?

“They got the clear sign: ‘It’s over 90 [degrees], it’s hot out. Even though you weren’t quite prepared, it’s time to put out some flowers,'” Loral Hall, community forestry senior program manager at environmental nonprofit TreePeople, told LAist.

Hall said not only do jacarandas grace us every year with thick canopies and carpets of purple, they’re relatively drought tolerant, pest resistant and able to grow in urban areas (like in a small square patch of dirt surrounded by concrete).

“They’re attention-grabbers here in Southern California,” said Hall, who grew up in Hollywood and has childhood memories of playing with the fallen purple blooms at a local park. “In a place where we don’t have really obvious seasons, [jacaranda blooms] are a sign that warmer weather is on the way.”

Hall also shared a lesser-known fact about jacarandas: There’s a white cultivar, too. The white version is much more rare in L.A., though with some of the trees rumored to be in a non-public area of the L.A. County Arboretum, Hall said.

A jacaranda at the LA Arboretum.

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Katherine Garrova

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How’d they get here? 

The jacaranda is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Argentina and Brazil.

While we don’t know exactly when the jacaranda first arrived in our area, we do know they were brought to Southern California in the late 19th century and proliferated thanks to a local horticulturist named Kate Sessions.

Where are the purple hot spots? 

A couple years ago, a local data graphics editor even created an interactive map so you can find the purple hot spots.

They’re... everywhere, so it shouldn’t be too hard to stumble upon a jacaranda show.