Novels

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez. Viking. 2017.
Gr 3–6 —When Malú has to move away from her dad, she takes her love of punk music with her. Malú’s zine-inspired artistry illustrates her life and the book.

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu. Roaring Brook. 2017.
Gr 8 Up —While her mom raged against the machine and published feminist zines in her youth, Viv keeps a low profile—until now.

Gabi: a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero. Cinco Puntos. 2014.
Gr 9 Up —Gabi Hernandez has lots to deal with, including that her dad is addicted to meth. Blisteringly honest diary entries and poetry create a powerful voice.

Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger. S & S. 2001.
Gr 7 Up —John escapes his unhappy home life by reading zines, including Escape Velocity by Marisol, whom he befriends.

Also read: "Zines: Cut-and-Paste Publishing by and for the People" 

DIY instruction

Making Comic Zines by Eddy Atoms. Silver Sprocket. 2022.
All ages —A kid-friendly zine with suggestions for creating comics-based zines, including inventing characters and comics layout.

Art of Protest: Creating, Discovering, and Activating Art for Your Revolution by De Nichols. illus. by various artists. Big Picture. 2021.
Gr 6–10 —De Nichols explores how art can be used in activism and protest. Her book shares histories of protest, plus multiple methods of expression, from zines to woodcuts and collage.

How to Make a Zine by Sara Shay Mirk. Free download.
All ages —A one-page pdf that is both a template for how to fold and cut a mini-zine and a tip guide for zine-making. ow.ly/aRjN50MNEuM

Whatcha Mean, What’s a Zine? The Art of Making Zines and Mini-Comics by Mark Todd and Esther Pearl Watson. illus. by Mark Todd. Clarion. 2006.
Gr 6 Up —A detailed guide to zine culture, this book gathers tips from 21 zinesters on topics from what kind of stapler to use to beating writer’s block, printing methods, and self-promotion.

Stolen Sharpie Revolution: A DIY Resource for Zines and Zine Culture by Alex Wrekk. Silver Sprocket, 2020.
YA/Adult —The sixth edition of this essential little book has all the basics about making a zine, including layout, printing, and binding, plus tips on distribution. Includes zine-related resources.

Cathy Camper is an artist, librarian, zine creator, and author of books for children and teens.