Support for LAist comes from
Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire
Stay Connected
Listen

Share This

Explore LA

Read And Shop

A wall of white bookshelves where colorful picture books face outwards. A girl with light skin tone, long brown hair in a ponytail, a white long-sleeved shirt and a pink skirt stands next to a woman with her brown hair clipped back in front of the shelves.
A family shops for books at the now-online local multicultural children's book store MiJa Books.
(
Mariana Dale
/
LAist
)

Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.

Topline:

Our 2023 gift guide showcases Southern California authors and illustrators. While you can always shop online — or go to your local library — these indie stores aim to make your holiday errands fun for all ages.

Indies First Small Business Saturday in Montrose: Longstanding children’s bookstore Once Upon A Time will have special promotions including discounts, prizes, and gift-wrapping on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 2207 Honolulu Ave. in Montrose. The shop is hosting local authors between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., including Charlotte Offsay, whose book Challah Day is part of our guide. If you’re lucky, you might spot feline shop celebrity Pippi Longstocking. More info here.

Sip cider in Pasadena: Octavia’s Bookshelf, named for one of the city’s most famous authors, will have hot apple cider on Monday, Nov. 27, also known as Cyber Monday (get it?). Find the shop at 1365 North Hill Ave.

Support for LAist comes from

Shop and craft in the San Fernando Valley: Tía Chucha’s Centro Cultural and Bookstore hosts Winterlandia on Saturday, Dec. 9 from 2–7 p.m. at 12677 Glenoaks Blvd. in Sylmar. The free event features arts workshops, children’s storytimes and food. Shop for books focused on Chicano, Latino, and Indigenous stories. More info here.

Go deeper: 17 Picture Books For The Kid In All Of Us

As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.

Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.

We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.

No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.

Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.

Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

Chip in now to fund your local journalism
A row of graphics payment types: Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay and PayPal, and  below a lock with Secure Payment text to the right
(
LAist
)

Trending on LAist