Categorized | Did You Know?, Student Work

What is a zine, anyway?

Posted on 10 October 2018.

Zines (rhymes with “beans”) are small circulation, self-published works created by a person (or small group) with a passion for a particular subject.  Zines can be educational, creative, wry, beautiful, political, whimsical, silly, sarcastic, dark, and even disturbing depending on the aim of the author.  APUSH fans may be interested to know that Thomas Paine’s self-published 1775 pamphlet, Common Sense, is considered by some to have been an early zine.  In the 20th century, the popular comic book hero, Superman, was based on a short story from the 1933 zine, Science Fiction: The Advance Guard of Future Civilization.

a photograph of several zines on a dark brown table

There are no limits on the variety and breadth of topics addressed in zines.  Are you aware of the characteristics of face blindness and its causes?  Did you ever wonder how morphine and heroin are chemically related?  Are you fascinated by the experience of young, second-generation Asian immigrants living in the Bay Area?  Are you just curious about many different things? The Castilleja Library has a large selection of zines – there is something for everyone. Please come ask your library team about what is available now!

-Emi S. ’19

This post was written by:

- who has written 49 posts on Castilleja School Library.


Contact the author


Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.


library catalog databases research-assistance
recommended-reading events student-publications
Questions about ebooks? Click here.

Check out the library on Instagram!


This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

New in the Library

  • (Grades 9+) Danyal is good looking, but he’s never been that academically talented, much to his parents’ chagrin. Still, somehow he gets chosen to represent his school in a history competition, which he takes as an opportunity to impress his long-time crush, fashionable and brilliant Kaval. But the college freshman he recruits to tutor him opens his eyes to a lot more than his history classes have before. A mix of teen drama, humor and serious insights into colonialism and identity.
  • (Grades 8+) Jassie gets sent to summer camp because her parents and teachers worry that she doesn’t have enough friends, but once there she quickly becomes a member of a tight-knit trio. Jassie is confused by the ways her feelings are growing for both her new friends, and fears it may come between them when the other two girls seem to be falling for each other. But to Jassie’s surprise, there’s room in their hearts for her too. An unusual, diverse, affirming love story.
  • (Published for adults) Taking place over the course of three days in a Dublin hospital maternity ward during the 1918 flu pandemic, this is the story of relationships that thrive despite extreme circumstances. Donoghue’s writing brings vivid characters to life as we watch them tackle massive challenges amidst political uncertainty. Perhaps a perfect read for our times.
  • (Grades 9+) The emperor is dead. Traditionally, the heads of the five great houses would each send a dragon to fight for the right of ascendency. But this time outsiders are allowed to compete. Contenders include the desperate, the clever, the magical, and their many dragons, characters in their own right. As they face a series of challenges, their values will also be tested.
  • (Grades 7+) Kiku, a teenager in contemporary San Francisco, travels back in time to witness her grandmother’s harrowing confinement in a Japanese-American internment camp. Kiko is stuck there too, and her growing understanding of the fear, privations, and community in the camp are brought to life in the fine-lined artwork of this graphic novel.
  • (Grades 4+) Born inside a prison, Pong longed to see dwell in the lights of the distant city. But when he escapes he finds the city filled with corruption. Nok, the prison warden’s daughter, is on his trail. Told from each of their perspectives, this is an adventurous tale of loyalty, bravery, and social justice.

Follow us!

Awards and Recognition