July 19, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

The Book Jewel Celebrates Pride Month as a Community

Westchester bookstore hosting series of events this month

The Book Jewel in Westchester is hosting several events this month that highlight the importance of LGBTQ+ representation in history, life and literature.

“Pride Month is always special here at The Book Jewel, and we’re excited to celebrate and provide a space for conversations that continue to nourish a love for learning about diverse people, cultures, and stories,” the bookstore said. 

First, on June 18, the store invited a panel of three writers of LGBTQ+ Children’s & YA books, each of whom provided age-appropriate & life-affirming stories for young readers. These writers  are Lee Wind, Andrea J. Loney, and Erica Silverman. Each of these authors shared a sneak peek of their work in addition to providing some fun Pride-themed crafts & activities for the audience to participate in.

This upcoming Saturday, June 25, at 3 p.m. meet a brand-new voice on the YA lit scene,Naz Kutub, author of his debut novel: The Loophole, which is about a gay Muslim boy who travels the world for a second chance at love after a magical heiress grants him three wishes.

Naz Kutub is a half-Indian, half-Malay immigrant from Singapore. His debut novel published by Bloomsbury was inspired by his personal experiences growing up as a gay Muslim, and as someone raised on a calorie-dense diet of Eastern lore. 

One of Naz’s main inspirations for writing The Loophole was for his future readers who do not usually get to see themselves represented: “I never got to see myself in books when I was a kid, so now I write queer brown kids as main characters, to show them that I see them. And now, they can too,” said Kutub.

Returning on Thursday, June 30 is a monthly free social event for and led by LGBTQ+ teens in LA: Alphabet Soup. Join this group of welcoming and fun young people as they celebrate their one-year anniversary of meeting together. This club’s typical meeting is an ongoing epic Dungeons & Dragons campaign for some members, while others choose to socialize, shop among our unique collection of gifts and books, and play with Paiges The Bookstore Cat of course.

In addition, come by The Book Jewel any time during June and brose a curated display of LGBTQ+ books featuring a mixture of fiction and nonfiction titles.

The Book Jewel is located at 6259 W 87th St, Los Angeles, CA 90045. For more information, visit thebookjewel.com.

Related Posts

Man Arrested in Brentwood for Impersonating Firefighter During Palisades Fire

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

The suspect faces at least 28 criminal counts—including 23 felonies—spanning incidents from 2023 to May 2025 Federal and local law...

Study Highlights Economic Impact of Cap-and-Trade Extension in Los Angeles

July 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Governor Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders are pushing to reauthorize the program this year, citing its role in generating 287,000...

Nearly $1B Secured for Refinancing of Westfield Century City Mall

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

The proceeds will replace a $925 million commercial mortgage-backed securities loan, originally issued by Morgan Stanley in 2023 and due...

West Coast Premiere of ‘The Opposite of Love’ Opens at Hudson Backstage Theatre

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Produced by Neil Gooding Productions, behind shows like Back to the Future: The Musical, the play runs Thursdays through Saturdays...

Tesla Seen Nearly Crashing into West LA Home After Collision

July 17, 2025

July 17, 2025

Footage depicted a blue Prius on the road with significant front-end damage A crash involving injuries was reported around 12:30...

DUI Checkpoints to be Conducted Across LA This Weekend

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The LAPD selects checkpoint sites based on data indicating high incidents of impaired driving-related crashes and arrests The Los Angeles...

Mayor Bass Hails National Guard Withdrawal as Victory for Unity

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the troop presence follows weeks of legal challenges and public demonstrations Mayor Karen Bass celebrated...

(Video) Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The outpost is a first for the popular influencer Did You Know Emma Chamberlain’s Coffee Shop is in Century City?...

Dodgers to Host Back to School Bash for Fire-Affected Families

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The free event will offer free groceries, school supplies, outfits, haircuts, medical screenings, and carnival rides The Los Angeles Dodgers...

Hundreds of Red-Legged Frog Tadpoles Released in Santa Monica Mountains

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

Once widespread in California, red-legged frogs vanished from the Santa Monica Mountains by the 1970s Nearly 600 California red-legged frog...

LA Sees Second Straight Year of Homelessness Decline, Leaders Celebrate Progress

July 16, 2025

July 16, 2025

The survey, designed by the University of Southern California, reported a 17.5% drop—the largest two-year decrease on record The Los...

Westwood Village Board to Discuss Public Art Initiative

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The initiative aims to enhance community pride, boost local business revenue, and address urban blight through public art corridors and...

Beverly Hills Plans Major Apartment Development Near Civic Center

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

The site, currently holding 13 residential units, is slated for demolition to make way for the new development A proposal...

Federal Judge Sides with Santa Monica, Other Local Governments Against Immigration Raids

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

Santa Monica Mayor Lana Negrete praised the ruling, saying it reaffirmed the city’s commitment to protecting residents from unjust detention...

California Hits Two-Thirds Clean Energy Milestone

July 15, 2025

July 15, 2025

This year, clean energy has powered the state for an average of seven hours daily, with over 90% of days...