Since the Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc popularized turntablism in New York in the early Seventies, DJing has grown into one of the most accessible forms of creative expression available today. And while all you really need is a laptop or iPad and a free app like iDJ to get started, investing in different types of controllers, turntables, and software can help aspiring DJs find their personal aesthetics and diversify their arsenals of techniques.

Of course, some of these items can be pricey, and making a worthwhile investment requires a great deal of research. For those not well-versed in the parlance of Guitar Center-dwelling and Craigslist-stalking gearheads, we surveyed some Bay Area DJs about what’s in their gear set-ups and what you need to get started. So, aspiring DJs, take it from the experts and add these items to your holiday wish list. If you find the prices daunting, fear not: You can get most of these items used for much cheaper.

Drea Faux Real learned to make beats on a Native Instruments Maschine ($599) before learning to DJ, though now she’s more well known as a DJ than a producer. The young San Francisco musician has made mixes for the upscale streetwear brand Black Scale, performed at Oakland Music Festival, and DJed for rising Oakland rapper Tia NoMore.

While Drea typically performs with the Pioneer DDJ-SR controller ($599), she is also a disciple of old-school turntablism. However, she rarely brings her Technics turntables to gigs because her controller is much more portable.

“I enjoy doing vinyl,” she said in an interview, “but, when I’m doing a festival or a venue asks me to bring my own set-up, I bring [my controller] because it’s a little bit easier to plug in and plug out really quickly. … [But] the essence of real DJing started on real turntables, so I hold that very close to me.”

For aspiring DJs and producers, Drea recommends Native Instruments’ controllers because they’re versatile and can be used for DJing or creating original material. Her next personal purchase, she said, will be the Ableton Push ($499): “It’s easy for looping sounds. It’s mostly used for producing, but you can use it for DJing. It’s much smaller — it’s like a little square.”

Though he’s barely 21 years old, Shruggs is already one of the most talked-about rising DJs in Oakland’s music scene. He hosts the online radio show RiME RADiO on Youth Radio’s AllDayPlay.fm, has performed at Oakland Music Festival, and just launched a new, monthly party called Open House, which takes place on first Thursdays at The Rock Steady. Shruggs enjoys playing underground rap and electronic music with a left-field sensibility. His recent mixes have featured tracks by artists such as Playboi Carti and Travis Scott, as well as his own production.

“I try to play things that you wouldn’t hear at a typical function,” he said.

Because Shruggs goes to club gigs often, portability is a major factor in choosing his gear set-up. He uses an Akai MPD24 ($348), a controller that can be used with the DJ software Traktor and production software Ableton. It’s a piece that Shruggs highly recommends for DJs and producers alike. “It’s more free than using turntables. … It’s more portable,” he said. “You can stuff everything into one backpack. Being a producer as well as a DJ, I can have more fun on it.”

While she currently splits her time between Oakland, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles, artist and DJ Selam Bekele made a name for herself in the Bay Area by using her work in film, visual art, and music to probe her Ethiopian heritage and the notion of home. While Bekele has DJed at widely attended events such as Night Forms at The Rock Steady in Oakland and the Afrofuturism Conference at the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts in Brooklyn, she fell into DJing almost by happenstance.

“I started DJing because I started doing art shows, and there would always be a DJ needed for opening receptions and closings,” she said. “I figured I should just do it since I probably know what kind of music I want to be playing the most.”

Bekele’s sets typically include combinations of traditional Ethiopian sounds, experimental electronic music, and obscure hip-hop and R&B. She performs using a Pioneer DDJ-SB ($299), a controller that’s compatible with Serato software. Its buttons and nobs mirror Serato’s interface, so using it can quickly become second nature.

“I like the playback option and the looping option. You get to mark certain parts of a song so you can play it from there,” Bekele said.

One of Bekele’s other must-have pieces of gear are the Pioneer HDJ headphones ($89–$299), which she said are essential for creating precise transitions between songs. “Headphones are important because you can hear the really subtle things,” she said.

Neto 187 of the music collective Trill Team 6 grew up around uncles and cousins who were DJs and became familiar with using turntables at a young age. While in high school, he enrolled in Youth Radio, where he learned about mixing and beat-matching, and eventually started DJing at house parties. Now, Neto is one of Oakland’s most sought-after DJs and spins at several monthly parties — including his new night, Off Top, on first Thursdays at The Layover — and special events such as Wine & Bowties’ mini-festival, Feels IV, which is coming up at American Steel Studios in West Oakland on November 28. He also hosts Sick Sad Radio on AllDayPlay.fm.

Because Neto often performs at rowdy dance parties, he prioritizes minimizing his set-up for maximal damage control. He uses Traktor software with an Akai LPD8 ($69), a small, narrow controller that weighs less than a pound and is easy to transport. “I like it because it’s really portable. Living in Oakland, I don’t drive. I usually bike or Uber to my gigs and it fits in a backpack, which is really convenient,” he said. “[Since it’s] pretty cheap, I’m not afraid to break it, which is nice when you’re DJing a crazy warehouse party or something like that.”

However, Neto said that he would only recommend his set-up to someone with experience, because it isn’t intuitive to use. For beginners, he suggests the Vestax Typhoon ($229), a larger controller that’s compatible with Serato and includes jog wheels that have scratching and mixing capabilities that are akin to turntables. And if you’re shopping for a DJ this holiday season, Neto suggests giving him or her audio cables as stocking stuffers: “It’s stuff that’s universal that you always lose.”

With CDs pretty much a thing of the past, most up-and-coming bands give their music away free online in order to attract a following. Thus, much of their revenue now must come from other ventures — which often include touring and selling merchandise. As a result, some enterprising local musicians have put their design skills to use and have created covetable apparel lines that are a far cry from your typical Hot Topic band shirt. We rounded up the most stylish ways to support East Bay musicians this holiday season — whether your wardrobe is athletic, vintage-inspired, or too eclectic to classify. Best of all, most of these styles are unisex, so music lovers of any gender will be stoked to get them in their stockings.

Oakland native Marty Aranaydo, aka DJ Willie Maze, is a DJ, promoter, activist, designer, and graffiti artist who’s been involved in many of the city’s creative enclaves for nearly two decades. In the 1990s, he joined the well-known local graffiti crew TDK. As a member of TDK, he spent many years painting alongside the late artist Mike “Dream” Francisco, whose life and work the community celebrates every year during the music and art mini-festival Dream Day, which Aranaydo helps throw.

Nowadays, Aranaydo frequently travels around the country as an organizer of the indigenous peoples’ climate justice movement, planning demonstrations and educating youth about how climate change affects the world’s most vulnerable communities. In addition, he puts on several of Oakland’s liveliest dance parties, including UltraWave, which takes place at Somar (1727 Telegraph Ave., Oakland) every Thursday, and NVR OVR on the fourth Saturday of every month at the Layover (1517 Franklin St., Oakland).

At NVR OVR, Aranaydo spins an eclectic sampling of obscure and local hip-hop alongside DJs Neto 187 and Starter Kit. The night doubles as a clothing release party for his brand of the same name. Each month, Aranaydo puts out a new T-shirt, hat, or long-sleeve shirt that combines his bold, architectural NVR OVR logo with humorous pop culture references. Our favorite pieces in his collection include the white “NVR is OVR — if you want it” long-sleeve shirt inspired by John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s famous Bed-In posters, as well as the Breakfast Club-themed tee that features Anthony Michael Hall as a teenage actor smoking a doobie.

Richmond rapper Kool John has a knack for viral marketing. His deceptively simple, sunglasses-clad smiley face logo for his clothing and lifestyle brand, Shmoplife, resonates with the same generation of young East Bay hip-hop fans whose outlook on life has been shaped by local, self-styled rapper-gurus such as Lil B and Kool A.D. Like Lil B’s based philosophy, Shmoplife promotes peace, positivity, and respect, except with more of an emphasis on partying. In an interview with the Express, Kool John summed it up as “living every day like it’s Saturday night,” and his apparel line certainly promotes this fun-loving worldview.

Kool John reps Shmoplife throughout all of his projects, such as his mixtapes, Peace, Love, and Shmoplife and Shmop City. Its presence in his work made the idea gain traction among his fans, which has helped his apparel line take off. Currently, the Shmoplife gear collection features snapbacks (which Kool John rocks in almost every photo), T-shirts, long-sleeve tees, hoodies, jackets, and even socks. While the smiley logo can be found on most of the pieces, some are more elaborate than others. Our favorite pieces include the socks and hoodie with a speech bubble exclaiming “Yee!,” as well as the long-sleeve tee with the phrase “Throw Parties Not Fists.” In these uncertain times, those are words to live by.

Who wouldn’t want to be friends with Kehlani and her girl gang, Tsunami Mob? The Oakland-bred R&B singer’s fun-loving crew includes her DJ, Noodles, back-up dancers Efemeh Files and Yanelis Beras, and photographer Bri Alysse. When they’re not performing, the endearing bunch seems to spend most of its time together, and Kehlani’s Instagram abounds with shots of Tsunami Mob catching flights, going on hikes, and goofing around backstage and in rehearsal. It’s evident that the crewmembers not only work hard but play hard, which is what makes them relatable to other squads of confident, self-motivated young people supporting one another’s creative endeavors.

While, unfortunately, not all of us can be part of Kehlani’s clique, we can show our support by rocking her Tsunami Mob-themed apparel. Like her album covers, its designs are pastel-hued and dreamy, with organic shapes based on cloud patterns and wave forms. Tsunami Mob’s logo resembles a combination of brass knuckles and a wave crest and can be found on T-shirts, hoodies, and even a pair of sterling silver stud earrings. For those who prefer subtler designs with less obvious branding, the You Should Be Here tees, so named after Kehlani’s latest album, feature an abstract sunset pattern with luscious, cotton-candy colors.

Popgang Records started out as an artist collective but morphed into a record label and party-throwing outfit in 2013. Local musicians Jordan DeHerrera and Chris Sanders — who form the band electropop band MANICS, which is one of the new acts on the label’s roster — helm the company and are responsible for several of the most popular free parties on both sides of the bay.

Commune Wednesdays at Elbo Room (647 Valencia St., San Francisco) is Popgang’s most widely-attended event. Every second Wednesday of the month, the party — which is part of a nationwide anti-smoking campaign — features a different roster of local bands and doubles as a T-shirt release party with new designs debuting every month.

Popgang also has several recurring parties at Ruby Room (132 14th St., Oakland). On second Thursdays, it throws 80 Cent 80s Night in collaboration with another promotional outfit, Slime City. Possibly the cheapest way to get drunk in the Bay Area, the party features Eighties music and eighty-cent drink specials. Also taking place at Ruby Room is Popgang’s new party on third Saturdays — Rlly Spesh — featuring DeHerrera (who DJs under the name Baby J) and rotating guests spinning regional hip-hop subgenres.

Popgang’s savvy branding efforts have given the label local notoriety, and its catchy logo has become widely recognized thanks to the company’s merchandise. While, so far, the label has only released one-off apparel designs, in 2016, it plans to release its first full-fledged collection that will feature hats and T-shirts with a darker aesthetic.

While rapper Antwon is originally from San Jose, he built his following in the lawless milieu of Oakland’s warehouse parties, where his sets often incited sweat-drenched mosh pits. While he eventually graduated to legit venues and moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career, much of his fan base is in the Bay Area.

Across Antwon’s body of work, there’s a noticeable interest in Nineties-inspired, punk-influenced aesthetics. He brings this signature style to his clothing brand, Nature World, which he runs with LA rapper Andre Martel and East Bay DJ Sad Andy. Nature World’s designs are eclectic and tongue-in-cheek, and include dad-style ball caps with folded bills, crew necks, long-sleeve tops, and T-shirts — all of which are unisex. While many of these items feature Nature World’s iconic worn-out combat boot logo, the brand’s designs have a great deal of variety. Must-haves include the cap with Mickey Mouse giving the middle finger, the “Players Only” basketball jersey, and the “RIP Sad Andy” long-sleeve tee — which predicts that 2092 will be the year of the DJ’s death. Nature World’s latest collection features designs for the lovesick and heartbroken, as well: Its “Alice” long-sleeve tee says “Better Off Alone” on the back, while its “Hyna” tee is emblazoned with a hand-written breakup note.

We know, we know, consumer sentiment is not exactly robust this holiday season. Some couples are giving each other $100 spending limits, because, honestly, what do we really need?

The answer? …

Um, we forgot the answer while shopping online for the best in this year’s cannoisseur accoutrements. Oh well, here is our Weed Sommelier’s guide to cannabis accessories for the 2015 holiday season. Enjoy.

High-End Vape

The Gold PAX 2Pax Vapor $279.99

The Tesla of vaporizers is going full gold for the holidays. The PAX2 by Pax Vapor is a high-end, dried herb vape that toasts instead of burns weed. It has a super-smart processor, a touch sensor, an accelerometer, a fast-heating oven, and a huge battery life. San Francisco-based PAX also thickened up the aluminum shell on this year’s model, and laser-welded the air-pathway, which can be rinsed with rubbing alcohol.

PaxVapor.com

Populist Papers

Natura Hemp Regular Rolling Papers Rizla $1.35 for 3 packs

The iconic brand Rizla rolls out some ultra-eco-friendly rolling papers. Rizla Natura Hemp Regular Rolling Papers are made from natural hemp and are 100 percent unbleached and super thin. Each pack contains fifty leaves or papers.

Essential Book

Green: A Field Guide to Marijuana By Dan Michaels Chronicle Books $30

Finally, a cannabis book for design fetishists. Author Dan Michaels, photographer Erik Christiansen, and the designers at Chronicle Books in San Francisco have combined hyper-detailed photography of 170 iconic strains with each one’s taxonomy and history. The book includes gorgeous infographics on terpenes, cannabinoids, smoking options, and etiquette. Elevate your coffee table.

ChronicleBooks.com

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Dad Stash

ProStash Case Stashlogix $80

Cool dads, this is your bag. This year, Colorado-based Stashlogix launched a line of odor-proof, zipper-closed, locking soft-cases to store your stash away from curious hands. Friendlier than a gun safe. Safer than a high shelf. Stashlogix’s 500D Nylon or Hemp case won’t stop a pair of scissors, but the $80 ProStash’s combination lock sends the right message: “Don’t touch dad’s stuff.” Inside, it’s like a soft, padded tacklebox for weed aesthetes: customizable padded dividers, three medium jars, one large “showcase” jar, and one small oil jar. The EcoStash is mid-sized for parties, while the GoStash is festival-ready.

StashLogix.com

Ladies Night

The Whoopee Vape Case Annabis

“It’s legalized, let’s make it civilized!” declares Annabis, the award-winning maker of odor-proof clutches and day-to-evening bags for ladies who partake. The Chelsea Cross-body is medium-sized, while The Melissa Multi and the Whoopee Vape Case each fit in your hand or a bigger bag. Stash your vape, mini-grinder, herb, and mints inside chic Black Croco Patent Leather, Snake Print Leather, or Gold Leather. The interior is silky purple Jacquard. Odor-Loc technology keeps the terpenes where they belong. The Whoopee is temporarily sold out, but the Melissa ($175) and the Chelsea ($295) are still available.

AnnabisStyle.com

Stylish Tray

Good Vibes Ashtray Cookies $40

Tests have shown that smoking a joint remains one of the most efficient delivery mechanisms for getting at the THC in dried flowers. This stylish, red and green-tinted ashtray is made of thick glass with the iconic Cookies bite logo and provides resting grooves for joints and blunts of strains like Gelato #45 and Sunset Sherbet. It’s part of a gargantuan line of Cookies apparel in the company’s new retail stores.

CookiesSF.com

Custom Shredder

LemonTree 831 Limited Edition Green+Gold Shredder Santa Cruz Shredder $45.99

Finely ground herbs make for easier vaping and smoking — especially when flower buds are thick and oily. The region’s shredding leader, Santa Cruz Shredder, debuts a collaboration with the Lemon Tree — makers of the most lemony cannabis strain of 2015. The large, two-piece aluminum grinder features an engraving of a surfing lemon getting barreled. A grinder for the ages.

SantaCruzShredder.com

Extreme Orbits

Noir Muad-Dib Concentrate Box Kit Magic Flight $169.00

The Magic Flight Launch Box, makers of the long-beloved, rugged, handheld, battery-operated dry herb vape, adapted this year to the surging popularity of hash. The Muad-Dib (pronounced Maww-Deeb) references the sci-fi epic Dune, not only in name but in styling. It features a brushed-brass lid, optical-grade lens, brass-bowl insert, and silicone draw whip with brass ends. You put a dab of extract in the bowl, then insert battery to heat the bowl, vape, and sip the whip. Eccentric? Yes. Effective? Devastatingly so.

Magic-Flight.com

Collector’s Glass

Boub #49 Bubbler Elbo Glass $1,590

The world of high-end functional glass art exploded in 2015, and riding the wave is Philadelphia-based artist Elbo. Elbo evokes an ominous sense of innocence lost with his figurative, translucent glass dinosaur sculpture series — T-Rexes that are heavy on teeth and claws and double as water-filtered hash pipes. Each custom piece of Elbo Glass starts at several hundred dollars in fine art galleries like The Cave in San Mateo, and soars into the thousands of dollars for custom pieces.

Glass for the 99 Percent Knockoff Mothership Faberge Egg Dab Rig $41.12

With income inequality at revolutionary levels, there ain’t no shame in spending less than $50 for a functional — if knockoff — hash bubbler. Found at quality head shops throughout the Bay Area, these Chinese knock-offs of luxury-brand collectible dab rigs like the Dabbucino and Mothership Glass Eggs are available for one-tenth the price of the originals. Nice pipes aren’t cheap, but cheap pipes get the job done.

SPARC UP

Upper Playground and SPARC Sam Flores Collection

The best in Bay Area pop art and medical cannabis combine in a new apparel collaboration between Upper Playground and the San Francisco Patient Resource Center (SPARC). Upper Playground artist Sam Flores brings his signature character and style to a collection that’s full of Bay Area love, without the played out stoner tropes.

SPARCSF.org

Outdoor-gear retailer REI has garnered plenty of attention and praise for its decision to close for business on Black Friday this year and for urging its employees to instead spend time in nature and with their families. And rightfully so. The crass commercialism of Black Friday — of getting up before dawn (or earlier) and standing in long lines outside big box chain retailers that pay their workers ridiculously low wages — seems to be getting worse each year (we’re looking at you, Walmart). Plus, the mad rush to buy lots of stuff represents the polar opposite of what we honor the day before: giving thanks. So, yes, REI’s got it right. There’s good reason to boycott Black Friday and to spend some quality time outdoors and with friends and family.

But having said that, there’s also another increasingly popular way to boycott Black Friday. And it’s an event that was born right here in Oakland: Plaid Friday. It’s a day dedicated to shopping local, to patronizing The Town’s numerous small independent businesses, many of which are owned and operated by people who live in the East Bay.

And this year, Plaid Friday in Oakland and other cities will be bigger and better than ever. Small businesses in commercial districts throughout Oakland, for example, will participate, including in Rockridge, Temescal, Piedmont Avenue, Grand Lake, Laurel, Dimond, and Montclair. In the Uptown, downtown, and Jack London districts, sixty-plus shops are taking part, offering special discounts, giveaways, and holiday cheer.

Kerry Johnson, who helped create Plaid Friday in 2009 and who operates Marion and Rose’s Workshop on 9th Street in Old Oakland, noted that part of the reason Plaid Friday is expanding is that there are now more small businesses in Oakland because of the growing economy. “We also have a lot more restaurants and bars participating. … And more people overall participating. It’s a lot of fun.”

It is a lot fun. But you might be asking yourself, “Isn’t Plaid Friday about commercialism, too, just like Black Friday?” Yes and no. It is partly about buying things. But it’s also about community-building and improving the lives of people in the city in which we live. Small businesses employ a lot of people, not only in the East Bay but throughout the country. And so shopping at small businesses helps them employ more local workers — and perhaps even give them raises as well.

Moreover, when you shop at a small independent businesses owned by people who live locally, your dollars stay local; they’re recycled right back into the community — rather than padding the profits of a large corporate chain. Plus, Plaid Friday is becoming an increasingly important event for many small businesses in Oakland. Johnson said some independent business owners have told her that Plaid Friday is now their busiest day of the year — except for the day before Christmas.

This year, the social networking startup Townsquared is helping organize Plaid Friday. The San Francisco-based company, which helps small business owners communicate and share ideas with each other, created an easy-to-use Plaid Friday map for the Uptown, downtown, and Jack London districts (it was in last week’s Express). Devin McIntire of Townsquared called the company’s partnership with Plaid Friday this year “the embodiment of what we’re trying to do with small businesses.”

However, at least one local small business — Awaken Cafe in downtown Oakland — has decided to follow REI’s lead this year. Cafe owner Cortt Dunlap said that while he’s also a Plaid Friday supporter, he plans to close his business on the day after Thanksgiving to give his employees another much-needed day off. “I think what REI is doing is inspiring,” he said.

In fact, Dunlap was so inspired that he decided to launch a “Post Thanksgiving Anti Shopping Swap” on Saturday, November 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m at Awaken Cafe (1429 Broadway). The idea behind the event is for East Bay residents to share what they already own with each other — rather than buying more new things. “We have so much in our closets that we aren’t using that other people would like to have,” he noted. Participants are urged to bring books or toys in good condition or men’s, women’s, or children’s shirts, pants, dresses, or skirts — also in good condition (and clean). Participants must bring at least one of the above items to swap.

It’s no secret that the Express is a big supporter of Plaid Friday (we’re co-sponsoring the event again this year), but we’re also avid nature lovers (see “Kid-Friendly Getaways,” page 14, for some ideas for spending time outdoors this holiday season). So if you’re in the REI spirit, go for it. Indeed, either do Plaid Friday or spend time in nature.

And if you decide that the latter is more your style, why not go for a hike in a majestic redwood forest? Thanks to a donation from Save the Redwoods League, a nonprofit conservation group, 49 state parks in California will offer free admission on Black Friday, as first reported by NBCBayArea.com. All of the participating parks feature redwoods. For a full list of the parks, see SavetheRedwoods.org.

However, if you choose to forgo shopping on November 27, we wholeheartedly recommend patronizing small independent businesses during the rest of this holiday season.

As a young child, Oakland-based illustrator Robert Trujillo had trouble finding storybooks that engaged him. He says the trove of children’s literature he encountered was lacking in relatable themes and characters — a problem that only seemed to worsen as he climbed reading levels. Bookstores stocked hundreds of narratives, but none ever seemed to apply to him as a child of mixed heritage with divorced parents.

Trujillo’s childhood plight is not uncommon — the canon of popular children’s literature is often criticized for its lack of multicultural and LGBT-inclusive representations. But notable strides have been made in recent years, thanks in part to artists such as Trujillo who are working against the homogenous archetypes that saturate children’s texts. Dynamic and diverse protagonists are now leaping onto pages with stirring messages about acceptance and self-love. Here are a few of the best ones to buy for the kids this holiday season.

Dian Gonzalez Bertrand and Robert Trujillo’s short story, A Bean and Cheese Taco Bday, is about celebration from start to finish. The picture book follows Dario, a seven-year-old who can’t wait to celebrate his younger brother’s birthday. Though he is initially dismayed at his sibling’s modest choice of venue — a park with nothing but bean and cheese tacos to offer — Dario soon realizes that fun can be had so long as he’s with the people who are closest to him. Published by Piñata Books, the oldest Latino publishing division of children’s books in the United States, A Bean and Cheese Taco Bday is brimming with understated lessons on selflessness, family values, and sharing.

Trujillo says his mission is to help tell stories that are evocative of diverse experiences in hopes that it might inspire more children to enjoy reading. “There are so many untold stories I see as an adult and through the eyes of my son,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do, and if we don’t do it, no one will.”

ArtePublicoPress.com

Oakland’s Alex Gino, a genderqueer author known for writing charming and progressive stories for ages eight and older, hit a home run with George. The story follows a transgender girl named Melissa who yearns to reveal her true identity to her family and classmates. Doing so would mean that people will stop seeing her as a little boy named George, and maybe — just maybe — her strict teacher will finally allow her to try out for the lead in the school’s production of Charlotte’s Web. Inspiring from start to finish, George is a quick read that’s chock-full of heartwarming messages. “I hope that kids reading George will come away with a greater sense of their own humanity as well as the wondrous and diverse lives around them,” said Gino. “And also that they have a good time getting to know Melissa as a whole person.” George is also special because it represents a huge shift in the types of books mainstream publishers are accepting. Scholastic picked up Gino’s debut and published an initial run of 50,000 copies — a huge coup for the author. Since then, the story has been accepted into school libraries, classrooms, and bookstores across the nation. It is, as Charlotte would say, a R-A-D-I-A-N-T addition to children’s literature.

AlexGino.com

Rad American Women A-Z is the first children’s book from Bay Area publisher and bookseller City Lights, and what a dynamite first book it is. Each page highlights one of 26 stellar women — visionaries, activists, artists, musicians — and details the powerful impact that each of them made on American history. Political activist Angela Davis, jazz singer Hazel Scott, and comedian Carole Burnett all make the cut, as do 19th century abolitionists the Grimke sisters. There are even special spots — the letters X and Y — to commemorate the unknown women who have and will continue to shape culture and society in meaningful ways. Kate Schatz, who gravitated toward books about cool, tough girls from an early age, began the book with the goal of creating something for her daughter. “I wanted her to have a book that was empowering, informative, fun, and feminist — and I wasn’t seeing anything like that on the bookshelves,” she said. “I hope readers — especially young readers — gain a sense of the massive scope of heroic, inspiring, and totally rad women who’ve come before us, and who are working hard today.”

CityLights.com

Jim Averbeck’s story about a determined girl’s desire to have a pet giraffe is both whimsical and educational. The book includes a glossary, which comes in handy when Sophia is loquaciously attempting to negotiate a giraffe-deal with her parents. She goes to her mother, a judge, with a legal case and attempts to convince her father, a politician, by conducting a straw poll. Each time, Sophia is shot down — but she never gives up. She refines her arguments time and time again, until her verbose pleas are trimmed to just one very magical word. Funny for both kids and adults — and especially word lovers — the story is a cute lesson on the powers of articulation and sincerity.

Race is not mentioned in Averbeck’s story, though the pictures indicate that Sophia is part of a mixed-heritage home — a broad range of skin tones are pictured in the illustrations. Luan Stauss, owner of Laurel Bookstore (1423 Broadway, Oakland) calls One Word From Sophia a wonderful example of “incidental diversity” in children’s literature, which is an emerging classification for books that include diversity but don’t make it the focal point of the narrative. As such, the story gives children from mixed households a chance to immerse themselves in a book that normalizes their experience. “You want children’s books to be windows and mirrors for kids,” says Stauss. “Mirrors are important because they show you who you are. Windows are important because they allow you to see how others are … Sophia gives kids both.”

JimAverbeckBooks.com

In a Village by the Sea, a picture book about a Vietnamese family awaiting the patriarch’s return during a storm, is poetically beautiful, spare, and lyrical. Muon Van wrote it shortly after her own father passed away, so it’s unsurprising that the book captures feelings of longing and remembrance.  “I wanted to write stories that capture some of my experiences that I feel are very different from most Americans,” said Van, who moved with her family to the United States from Vietnam as part of the “boat people” mass exodus following the Vietnam War. “All of my ancestors are fisher-folk, and I felt that it was a compelling but also significant part of my history.” Yet while the culture and profession of the story’s characters are specific, its overarching message is broad: Family — whether separated by sea or circumstance — is always in our hearts.

CrestonBooks.co

Buying a pet for someone special during the holidays can be an understandably tempting idea. After all, pets can be ready-made companions, and many of them are in need of a good home — earlier this year, Oakland Animal Services was at 200-percent capacity. But animal welfare advocates warn that without proper research and preparation, adopting a pet as a gift can quickly turn into a nightmare, especially if you haven’t done your research.

Luckily, the Bay Area is brimming with information and adoption centers. The general consensus among advocates is that the best — and most humane — place to get a cuddly friend is from Oakland Animal Services (29th Ave, Oakland) or through a shelter that works with the organization. However, and perhaps surprisingly, many rescue organizations have policies in place to protect animals from would-be gift givers. According to the SPCA, there’s a longstanding belief that “animals who aren’t chosen specifically by their new owners may be considered less valuable” and then returned — or worse — abandoned. Some shelters even report an uptick in the number of animals admitted directly after the holidays, likely due to that very scenario. As a result, many pet adoption organizations say that if you want to adopt a pet as a gift, make sure you bring the recipient with you when actually select the pet.

Adoption shelter Cat Town Cafe (2869 Broadway) has such a safeguard policy in place to protect both the animal and the recipient. “We want both parties to participate in the choice,” said Anne Dunn, founder and executive director. “It’s matchmaking, you know? You want there to be a connection.”

Cat Town does not authorize adoptions if the cat has not had a meet-and-greet with its future owner. Although this may seem like a roadblock for gift-givers, Dunn said it actually works in their favor — especially when the recipient is a child. Too often, parents who give their youngster a pet find that the new addition doesn’t have a kid-friendly temperament, but then it’s too late. In these situations, the pet is often returned or the child is left disappointed. To avoid this, wrapping a collar or a pet-themed gift basket can give kids something festive to open, and a trip to the pet shop can take place soon after.

For the joyous occasions when families do come in together to adopt a pet, Dunn has another nugget of wisdom: “Get the cat you want, not the cat you think you should get.” For people who desperately want a kitten but feel guilty about not adopting an older pet, here is your reprieve: Dunn said kittens are vulnerable populations at shelters, and as such, they need adoption just as much as their two- or three-year-old neighbors. The same also goes for other baby animals that make their way through shelters, including bunnies and puppies.

Aside from Cat Town Cafe, other rescue organizations that work directly with Oakland Animal Services have stations at PetFood Express (PetFoodExpress.com) outlets on the weekends, allowing for easy access in a number of neighborhoods. Not to be outdone, the East Bay SPCA (8323 Baldwin St., Oakland, EastBaySPCA.org) also houses an adoption center, with training classes and educational sessions to boot. The intake records at the advocacy organization show that a total of 3,255 cats and dogs were brought to shelters in 2014, so there are plenty of worthy pets to choose from. Still, bringing new life into your home won’t come cheap. Including spay and neutering services, adopting an animal from one of these locations will likely cost hundreds of dollars.

For someone who prefers pets of a more creepy-crawly variety, the East Bay Vivarium (1827 5th St., Berkeley) is a mecca. The New York Times once reported that the shop was “the strangest attraction in Berkeley,” and for good reason: The Vivarium is teeming with aquatic and reptilian life from floor to ceiling.

For novice reptile owners, vivarium co-owner Owen Maercks recommends getting your feet wet with corn snakes ($200 with equipment), leopard geckos ($100–$150 with equipment) and bearded dragons ($200–$300 with equipment). Those pets, he said, are the right combination of being low maintenance, docile, and easy on the eyes. He stridently discourages some other pets, such as water tortoises, for young and new owners of reptiles. (“Because parents usually want their kid to keep all their fingers,” he said with a laugh.) Vegetarian land tortoises ($100–$300) provide a nice alternative and can potentially stay with a child for a long time.

No matter what reptile you choose, Maercks said you’re in the wrong place if you’re looking for a pet that the recipient can form a deep, mutual connection with. “With cats and dogs, you’re getting a substitute baby,” said Maercks, who has been working with reptiles for more than 35 years. “These animals are not babies. The allure of reptiles is that they are alien, and for a lot of us — particularly a lot of us in the Bay Area — that’s a very exciting thing.”

Like Dunn, Maercks is adamant that the pet owners come to the store to pick out the new addition to their family. Otherwise, he said, the gift recipient is missing out on an adventure and a memory that could last a lifetime. “By and large, giving someone a pet that they haven’t chosen is a really bad idea,” he said, standing in front what has to be the most goliath snake in Berkeley. “This is something that will be with the person for five, ten, thirty years or more. Make an adventure out of it to choose the right pet together.”

The Bay Area is a DIY mecca. During the holiday season, that often translates to locally made gifts found at craft fairs and the like. But what about offering someone the opportunity to express his or her artistic side? You could buy him or her a six-week course in photography or a single-night session in leatherwork. The East Bay has an abundance of art classes to offer, and they make great gifts for creative people who are willing to step out of their comfort zones. Here are six of the best places to sign them up.

The Bay Area outpost of Bullseye Glass is housed in a sprawling warehouse in Emeryville (4514 Hollis St.). There, along with a glass art gallery and rows of raw glass materials, you will find a full studio equipped with kilns, cutters, cooling rooms, and all the equipment you need to make glass art. Beyond providing materials for artists, Bullseye aims to nurture a vibrant glass art community with its classes on cutting edge techniques for all skill levels. While more advanced classes can get pricey, the beginner workshops are more affordable and perfect for someone looking to try out a new medium. In “Hip to Be Square: Graphic Coasters,” for example, students with no previous experience learn to screen print with glass powder in order to create a set of richly colored and textured graphic glass coasters ($100). Or, in the two-and-a-half hour “Ornaments in Kiln-Glass” class, students learn several techniques for cutting and layering glass, which they solidify into tree ornaments using a kiln and pick up a few days later ($100).

BullseyeGlass.com

For a place filled with flames and industrial materials, The Crucible is incredibly welcoming. The huge West Oakland compound’s (1260 7th St., Oakland) class offerings include blacksmithing, neon light making, woodworking, glass blowing, and fire eating. Yes, fire eating. Most of these are month-long series or weekend intensives that can cost upwards of $500, but there are a few options for those just starting out or looking to dabble with less of a financial commitment — classes that also happen to make great gifts. “Friday Flames” are the most affordable Crucible experience for beginners, at $100 for three and a half hours of hands-on class time. Those after-work sessions come in topics such as blacksmithing, glass flameworking or fusing, jewelry making, leather work, and welding, and are followed by wine and mingling. But if you’re willing to spend more, you can give someone a $300 “Crucible Tasting,” which let attendees sample a trio of the most popular Crucible workshops through a full day of three consecutive two-hour introductory classes.

TheCrucible.org

Gifting the Art Experience: The Crucible by Bert Johnson on Vimeo.

The Grease Diner (6604 San Pablo Ave., Oakland) is not a diner at all. Actually, it’s an art gallery, boutique, and silk screen supply store that’s also the go-to place for one-on-one (or private group) silk screen classes. Its $50 introductory class covers the basics of how to prepare a design on Photoshop or Illustrator, how to turn it into a screen, and how to print it onto various materials. The one-to-two-hour class includes ink, one screen, and one acetate print. Those specifically interested in printing T-shirts can opt for a similar $75 class that includes one T-shirt and ink for up to ten prints. More experienced artists can do the $60 Fine Art Printing class to create more heavy-duty acetate print outs. Grease Diner also offers a $50 class for kids that includes printing on a variety of materials, including a T-shirt to take home. If you can’t decide which would be best for your giftee, a $50 Grease Diner gift card is an easy and safe bet.

TheGreaseDiner.com

If you’re looking to sign someone up for a more sustained learning experience, the Berkeley Art Studio on the UC Berkeley campus is a reliable place to find high quality art classes. While these are a bit pricier, they make great, long-lasting gifts for people you’re willing to splurge on. Plus, people who purchase gift certificates receive a small discount on full classes or can opt for certificates that pay for only a portion of a class. A $225 certificate is good for any seven-week drawing, painting, photo, or digital class (usually $250), and seven-week ceramics class certificates go for $230 (usually $260). Gift certificates also come in $90 (for $100 value) and $45 (for a $50 value). The course offerings are plentiful, including Beginning Darkroom Photography, Graphic Design, a wide variety of ceramics classes, Drawing Fundamentals, and watercolor. All of the instructors are professional artists, and the facilities are top-notch and welcoming to all skill levels. For recipients, part of the fun will be choosing which of the array of courses to take. The next set of sessions begins in January.

ArtStudio.Berkeley.edu

Kala Art Institute (1060 Heinz Ave., Berkeley) is another place to find quality art classes that will teach you sought-after skills. The West Berkeley fixture offers a wide variety of classes to choose from, ranging in terms of medium, difficulty, price, and number of sessions. Come next year, it will be offering an exciting, updated class roster. Some examples of single day sessions at Kala include Mixed Media Embroidery ($65) and Needle Felting ($65). Courses with multiple meetings include the Large-scale Pattern Screen Print ($300) and a variety of letterpress classes ($215 and up). Kala makes it easy to give classes as presents by offering a range of gift certificates from $50–$500. Plus, during the holidays (until January 31), anyone who purchases a gift certificate of $100 or more will also receive a voucher for $30 off any class that costs $100 or more.

Kala.org

If you have a friend or family member with an interest in interior design, you can skip your annual visit to Pottery Barn by signing them up for a class at Artistic Home (1419 Park St., Alameda) instead. Artistic Home is a cozy studio and art supply boutique run by Alameda artists JaYing Wang and Rachel Gingold. They offer a variety of classes for people to learn how to spruce up their homes in a DIY way. For “Furniture Fridays,” attendees bring in a piece of furniture to paint, and the studio provides the materials and instruction ($95). In the six-hour Patina & Rust workshop, attendees learn to create vintage-looking designs on metal using copper and bronze paints and patinas ($195). Artistic Home also offers classes in stained glass and mosaic making, among others.

ArtisticHomeStudio.com