Puffin to publish 'modern' sex ed guide for children

Puffin is publishing a "modern and inclusive" guide to growing up and sex education by Amy Forbes-Robertson and Alex Fryer.

The non-fiction book, entitled Brilliant Questions About Growing Up, is in line with the new Relationships and Sex Education legislation entering UK schools this September, and it will publish on 20th August just ahead of the new law taking effect.

Puffin editors Millie Lean and Emma Jones bought world rights from Hannah Weatherill at Northbank Talent Management, calling it a "ground-breaking new toolkit for growing up".

The format for the book draws on the questions children have asked of Forbes-Robertson and Alex Fryer in the lessons on healthy relationships and sex education they have delivered to thousands of students over the years. The result is "a big book of answers", alongside "clear and factual" introductions and "vibrant" colour illustrations, to help support conversations about sex, pregnancy, sexuality, relationships, gender, consent, emotions, friendship, being online, and puberty, among other topics.

The book takes what is described as a "non-judgemental" approach and is suitable for children aged 7+.

Lean said: "I’m thrilled to be publishing this ground-breaking new toolkit for growing up. Amy and Alex’s warm, fresh, and inclusive book flips ‘the talk’ on its head and finally brings this conversation up-to-date. Here at Puffin we are all so proud of this fantastic book and its power to make a difference."

Robertson is a qualified teacher and Fryer is trained as a specialist practitioner in Sexual Health and Contraception who together founded www.ithappens.education which delivers talks, workshops and training to students, parents and teachers.

Jointly they said: "Children ask such brilliant questions and they deserve really good answers. We are constantly meeting parents and teachers who want to do this well... but they just don't know how! We hope that this book will give everyone simple words to talk about this important stuff. We want to inspire conversations. Lots of little conversations. And hopefully, keep everyone a bit more up-to-date, informed and therefore safer in their bodies, minds and relationships."