Inappropriate ABC’s
Ryan
https://www.instagram.com/_my_name_is_ryan_/
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/PocketThoughts

Inappropriate ABC’s is a quarter-sized black and white zine of ABCs that is a long, long way away from a child’s book of letters.

When I saw Warglitter’s review of this (and Ryan’s other) zines, I immediately put it on my zine wishlist.

I never claimed to have a mature sense of humour.

With this zine, Ryan seeks to give people “a new kind of alphabet book that they can relate to”. With entries like ‘A is for Abortion’ and ‘D is for Douching’, this might be a zine that you don’t want to leave lying around if you have readers that are a little young for ‘intermediate reader’ level. (Those are the only spoilers you’ll get from me.)

Each page features two letters (save for the middle spread containing six in total) each with its own word or phrase as well as its own funny rhyme. They might not always make things clearer definition-wise, but they always made me grin. The same goes for the illustrations to go along with each. (I’m looking at you, cheeky illustration for letter H.)

I love the way this zine looks and can’t imagine a better style for it. The fonts, Ryan’s sketches, the sarcasm, the words/phrases chosen for the letters – it all works together for a great zine. Especially for those of us with a less than mature sense of humour.

Grab a copy.

Found in Books 3 & 4
Karys
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/Loveandois
https://www.instagram.com/karysrhiann/

Found in Books 3 & 4 are full-colour A5 zine collections of interesting things found in/around books while working as the librarian at a public co-ed school in Melbourne.

Have I mentioned how much I love found things zines? A zine series featuring things found in a library makes for a zine series I don’t want to end. It’s one of the few times in life I’m at peace with knowing that I’ll never know the details/story of something.

And believe me – there are more than a few questions that come up while perusing these zines.

Photos, class notes, and – of course – the expected dick drawings have been found by Karys, the zine-making librarian. I noted with amusement that the cover description of the zines changes slightly from issue 3 to issue 4:

Issue 3: “I keep finding notes, lists, scribbles, drawings & photographs tucked into pages or in-between boks in the shelves.”

Issue 4: “I cannot stop finding notes, lists, scribbles, drawings & photographs tucked into pages or in-between books in the shelves.”

I knew I would enjoy these zines, but I did even more than I expected. I spent a lot of time pondering the various bits and bobs Karys has found. I love how some students left little anonymous notes for each other. Small book reviews, life observations… Seeing that kids are still reaching out and having fun in the same ways I did at that age is both funny and pleasing.

If you like found things zines, then these are must haves for your collection. I now have to get my hands on the first two.