Hot Key Books, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, has acquired a fresh, frank guide to sex, relationships and bodies for teenagers from journalist and sex-education advocate Milly Evans.
Commissioning Editor Georgia Murray acquired world rights from Lauren Gardner at Bell Lomax Moreton.
Written by 21-year-old sex-education advocate and journalist Milly Evans, HONEST: Everything They Don’t Tell You About Sex, Relationships and Bodies is a fresh and much-needed guide for young people written in a peer-to-peer tone.
With Milly’s relatable and authentic voice, curated content from sex-positive activists and inspirational figures, and striking black and white illustrations from artist Lucia Picerno, HONEST will be the go-to book on sex for 21st century teenagers.
Georgia Murray said: ‘‘I’m so thrilled that we are publishing Milly’s brilliant book on the Hot Key list. Milly is such a fresh and exciting new voice for young people, someone who is deeply passionate and knowledgeable about sex education, and who communicates ideas and content with warmth, positivity, and a refreshing honesty. Milly is the perfect young advocate for these crucial issues for young people today.
Milly Evans said: “I’ve never been one to shy away from difficult conversations. This book is an extension of all the tricky conversations about consent, break-ups and contraception I had at school and at home. It’s also a call to action to start taking sex education seriously and treat it as the human rights issue that it is. I want to live in a world where everyone feels able to make choices about their bodies, relationships and sex lives. I hope Honest will be a part of that for other young people.”
Milly Evans is a journalist and sex-education advocate who has been campaigning for a more inclusive and comprehensive sex-education curriculum since 2016. She has worked with Brook and the Terrence Higgins Trust as well as being involved with Stonewall and UNESCO and she is currently an Editor at Patient. Milly grew up in a sex-positive household with parents who work in the sex toy industry: in her words, ‘in a house where it was easier to find a condom than a pen’.
Lucia Picerno is an award-winning designer and illustrator from Uruguay, living in London. She aims to spread thought-provoking messages that inspire women to be seen and heard. Her clients include Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Honda, Bodyform, Palmer’s and Danone among many others.
HONEST: Everything They Don’t Tell You About Sex, Relationships and Bodies will be published in paperback 6th June 2022.
