Coronet signs 'hilarious' Kirby book for reluctant adults

Coronet has signed a “hilarious” new illustrated book by Katie Kirby for adults struggling with the responsibility of growing up.

Publisher Hannah Black acquired world rights for Reluctant Adult from Jon Elek when he was at United Agents, with the author now handled by UA's Millie Hoskins. The book will be published in October.

The synopsis explains: “In Reluctant Adult Katie pinpoints with painful precision just how overwhelming life can be for grown-ups. She gives honest, hilarious and relatable advice on how we could all handle adulthood better. From hosting a sophisticated dinner party to surviving the trials of camping, from the worry spiral that keeps you up till 3am to maintaining a professional aura at work, Reluctant Adult will help you tackle the universal challenges of being an adult.”

Kirby, whose previous books include Hurrah for Gin (Coronet), said: “I've been talking about parenthood for years now so I thought it was time to turn my hand to life in general and just how overwhelming and exhausting it can be. It's been lots of fun to write and draw about new topics such as social media, people pleasing, anxiety and the dreaded group WhatsApps!”

Black added: “If you are an adult, you’ll need to buy this book. With the money you’ve earned at your big grown up job, that you dreamed of when you were young and life was boring and you had to ask permission to do things and go to bed early. Not anymore! Now, as Katie Kirby accurately notes, you can look forward to networking, going to important meetings, crafting with your children, and staying up all night thinking about your super grown up tax return and whether you’ve got enough points on your Tesco Club Card to go to Prezzo. Katie is the queen of unapologetically accurate and hilarious observations of modern life. We’re very proud be publishing her new book which we know will speak to even more fans.”