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25 January 2025

Posted by Frankie

Junior & Young Writers: Week 3 - Mini Zines

Hi Writers,


This weeks theme was creating ‘mini-zines’ – tiny booklets packed with creativity!


We kicked things off with a check-in where everyone became a pizza and a side. Margarita

pizzas were a popular choice, but the standout was a bean pizza, symbolising a week full of

farts.


Elsie and Eddy shared some great work they’d done at home before we warmed up with a

round of Objects, where everyday items got new uses. Bubble wrap turned into a

teleportation device, a bag became a portal, and a vase—if you stuck your head in

it—became a brutal sausage simulator.


After that, Claire introduced the group to zines—DIY booklets used for self-expression,

storytelling, information, or just general nonsense. We looked at a few examples, including a

zine on how to adopt a future cat and even a zine about making zines.


Then it was time to get making! The group followed three simple steps:

Planning – deciding on a theme and layout.

Folding – transforming a single sheet into a mini-book.

Design Time! – adding words, drawings, and creative chaos.


One example from the junior group is Elsie’s Alien Fashion Zine—a guide to intergalactic

style.


x


The older group’s pizza check-in brought more variety—some more classic margaritas, one

pizza that had been left out in the rain, and another full of random toppings, including lego

which symbolised a week that seemed like a good idea at the time but wasn’t.


Our Objects game found some new inspiration with a cushion became a murder weapon, a

hanger turning into a musical instrument, and a pen holder became a very painful shoe.


With imaginations fully activated, it was time to make some zines. A couple of standouts

included:

Chloe’s guide to kidnapping Ryan Reynolds (or your crush).

Georgie’s ‘How to Speak French’—written entirely in French.


Both groups embraced and enjoyed the zine format, proving that even the tiniest booklets

can hold some big, hilarious, and occasionally bizarre ideas. I look forward to seeing the

finished zines next week.


[instructions attached so you can create even more funky zines!]

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