Zine Making & Bookbinding: A Beginner’s Guide in 25 Projects

Berke (illustrator of Were I Not a Girl) demonstrates how to construct books and zines from scratch in this comprehensive but dizzying guide. Required tools include everyday items like scissors and glue sticks, as well as less common objects, such as awls and bone folders. Berke breaks down the anatomy of a book, pointing out that a signature is “sheets of paper folded and nested together in sets of two-to-eight sheets” and that a headband is “a decorative tape that hides the inner workings of the spine.” The terminology comes in handy for the bookbinding projects, which include stab-stitch binding, where the sewing is done on the exterior of the spine, and coptic binding, where signatures are sewn to each other and to the covers. For creating zines, Berke showcases several formats, like accordion (zigzag folded structures) and octavo (a single sheet of paper folded and cut to make a booklet). Though it’s clear that Berke has a wealth of knowledge, the at times long-winded instructions accompanied by vague illustrations will be daunting for beginners. This is best for readers who already have a working knowledge of book arts and are looking to refine their skills. (Apr.)