Penguin Children’s buys Munroe Bergdorf's book on defiance

Penguin Children’s has secured Talk To Me: There’s No Greater Act of Defiance Than Using Your Voice, "an empowering book about tackling tricky conversations with confidence" from trailblazing model Munroe Bergdorf.

World rights were acquired by senior commissioning editor Phoebe Jascourt and editor India Chambers, from Abigail Bergstrom at Bergstrom Studio.  Penguin will publish Talk To Me in June 2025. 

Bergdorf is an internationally renowned writer, activist and model who was recently appointed the first UN Women UK National Champion. 

Her first film, "What Makes a Woman", premiered on Channel 4 in 2018 and her upcoming documentary, "Love & Rage: Munroe Bergdorf", is set to premiere spring 2025. Bergdorf has been the cover star for leading publications including British Vogue, British GQ, Rolling Stone UK and TIME, and in 2022 she made history as the first trans cover star for Cosmopolitan magazine.  

Penguin said its Children’s and YA Non-Fiction list is "having its biggest year ever, with its growing list of bestselling authors, memorable storytelling and books about bold ideas".  

The publisher added: "Change starts with dialogue, and no one knows this better than Bergdorf. In Talk To Me, she reminds us that conversations might not seem to change lives, shatter ceilings or shake up the system, but they have more value than you might realise—whether that’s with friends, family, people online or a room full of strangers.  

"Covering topics from gender identity, beauty standards, racism and more, Bergdorf gives readers the tools needed to use their voices for positive change. This includes how to change people’s minds, accept when you’re wrong, know when to speak up vs when to step away and cut through the noise to say what needs to be said."

Bergdorf said: "I’m beyond proud to be releasing my second book, Talk To Me, with Penguin. We live in an increasingly unpredictable world, full of change, conflict and confusion, which is without doubt becoming increasingly difficult for young people to navigate.  

"This is why I decided to write a book for young adults about utilising the most important power that we all possess, our voice. Talk To Me pulls focus on a vast array of issues that I hope will leave readers feeling more empowered, resilient and galvanised within themselves and their communities. True, lasting progress and positive change isn’t possible without being able to talk to each other with respect, empathy and understanding. From activism to allyship, from beauty standards to social media.

"Talk To Me reaffirms the importance of not only how we talk to each other, but also how we talk to ourselves."  

Jascourt and Chambers said: "We have been big fans of Munroe for years and have long admired the way she expertly tackles tricky conversations on a public scale with incredible patience, skill and eloquence.  

"We’ve been blown away by her writing, which so powerfully captures her experiences and is a true masterclass in communication. The team have ambitious plans for a bold, wide-reaching campaign and we can’t wait to get this book into the hands of readers across the world."

Munroe’s debut book, Transitional, was published by Bloomsbury in February 2023 and she has written for British Vogue, the Guardian, Glamour and i-D, among others.  

In 2022, she became a contributing editor for British Vogue, and in 2023, was named the first UN Women UK National Champion, furthering her work as a UN Women Changemaker. She also serves as an ambassador for the transgender youth charity, Mermaids, and is a founding consultant on L’Oréal Paris’ UK Diversity and Inclusion Board.