Alert issued over children’s book collection hijacked by graphic website
Schools and libraries have been told to pull popular children’s books from shelves after a printed web address was hijacked by a pornography website.
It turns out that the link found in Andrew Cope’s Spy Dog, Spy Cat and Spy Pups series previously directed children to more information about the books, but now directs them to adult content.
Publisher Puffin, part of Penguin Random House, said it was “immediately pausing” sales of the books and contacting libraries to have the books removed.
Aimed at children aged seven to 12, the books feature animals using tools to catch thieves and solve crimes and puzzles.
Some schools also contacted parents to inform them of the explicit content and advised them to “remove it from their children immediately.”
Guard A school in West Sussex wrote to parents saying: “We have been made aware of a safeguarding alert linked to the Spy Dog/Pups and Spy Cat children’s book series by author Andrew Cope.
“These books contain a link to a website to learn more about the character (indicated on the back or inside page). This link has now been compromised and directs users to a pornographic website with no age verification.”
In the statement made on behalf of Cope and Puffin, the following statements were made: “In some editions of the Spy Dog, Spy Cat and Spy Pups series, reference is made to the old website for the series, owned and managed by author Andrew Cope.
“We understand that an unaffiliated third party recently took control of the domain and is using it to display a different website with non-adult content.
“This website is in no way affiliated with Puffin or Andrew Cope. We would ask people not to visit the website and neither should children.
“We take this matter extremely seriously and are taking urgent action on this matter through the appropriate channels to have this website removed.
“This is a deep and complex legal process and will take time. We have immediately halted the sale and distribution of the books while we deal with this matter.”
