When it first appeared in the 1970s, The Little Red Schoolbook was banned by the UK authorities, which confiscated copies and prosecuted the publisher under the Obscene Publications Act. Why? Because this little book aimed to educate teenagers about democracy, sex and drugs – in frank, simple language – and encouraged them to view adults as “paper tigers”.

The Little Red Schoolbook has been unavailable for more than 40 years, but it remains surprisingly relevant for young people today. Reissued here in its original and uncensored format, with informative footnotes and a new foreword by the surviving author Søren Hansen, it encourages teenagers to have the confidence to seek information for themselves, challenge authority and question the status quo.

Jesper Jensen