It has come to our attention “in the front and/or back of some editions of the Spy Dog, Spy Cat and Spy Pups series there is a reference to the author, Andrew Cope’s, former website for the series which was owned and managed by him. We understand an unconnected third party has recently taken control of the domain name and is using it to display a different website with inappropriate adult content. This website is not associated with Puffin or Andrew Cope. Please do not visit it and ensure that children do not visit it either.” [Penguin Random House]
If you have copies that belong to SLS please put to one side and return with the December collections.
Andrew Hall, a specialist safeguarding consultant, has provided the following text that you may wish to share with parents/carers:
Important Safeguarding Notice: Children’s “Spy” Books
We want to make you aware of a recent issue affecting some popular children’s books by Andrew Cope, including the Spy Dogs, Spy Cats, and Spy Pups series.
Some editions of these books include a printed web address at the back. This link used to go to the author’s website, but the domain is no longer under his control. It has since been taken over by another party and now leads to inappropriate adult content.
The publisher, Puffin, has paused sales and distribution of the books and is working with schools, libraries, and retailers to remove copies from circulation. They have stressed that the website has no connection to the author or publisher.
What this means for you:
- If your child has any Spy Dog, Spy Cat or Spy Pups books at home, please check the back for website links and make sure they do not try to visit the site.
- It is safe for children to continue reading the stories themselves — the concern is only with the outdated link.
- We recommend talking with your child about the importance of not following web addresses in books without checking with an adult first.
We will continue to share updates from the publisher as more information becomes available.
