It’s a Brave Young World: A Guide to Life, Relationships and Speaking Up

Anu Adebogun is a youth practitioner and PhD researcher at the University of Oxford, where she specialises in issues of gender, justice and crime. She has worked with thousands of young people to promote safety, wellbeing, and access to education, and works with several charities and community projects that empower young people. 

In this appealing, friendly and informative book, Adebogun addresses young people directly and guides them through some of the issues that they will start to come up against as they begin secondary school and grow into tweens and teenagers.

The focus here is on empowering young people with information – from how UK politics works to what the legalities are regarding sexual consent, how to get a good night’s sleep, and much more – but also encouraging readers to journal and reflect on some of the bigger questions, such as what they believe, whether their friendships are healthy, and how they can best love themselves. 

Featuring chapters on identity, family, friendships, relationships and self-love, emotions, school, beliefs, the internet and personal safety, as well as frequent journal prompts and space for young people to make notes in the book, this is a fabulous resource for any young person.

The design and illustration of the book also look cool and trendy for kids in lower secondary school.