Trans lobby hijacking primary school reading with 'sex-change propaganda' as damning report reveals more than 60 books featuring children 'born in the wrong body', women with beards and bizarre 'non-binary' guinea pigs

By NICHOLAS PYKE and JANET MURRAY Published: 23:00, 18 July 2026 | Updated: 23:10, 18 July 2026 Trans activists are bombarding primary schools with 'sex-change propaganda' in the form of brightly coloured picture books, according to a new report. Backed by former Children's Laureate Anne Fine OBE, it identifies more than 60 books from major publishing houses which feature children 'born in the wrong body', women with beards and mastectomy scars, and bizarre characters including a 'non-binary' guinea pig and a male teddy bear who is sad because he wants to be a girl. The report – compiled by concerned authors and editors with traditional views on biology and sex –warns: 'Gender affirmation has really got its claws into publishing staff, authors and librarians. 'Publishing has been entirely captured by a warped ideology and is now severely out of step with the population at large.' Despite little evidence that such books are commercially popular, The Mail on Sunday has established they are used by hundreds of primary schools on the recommendation of 'inclusivity' charities such as No Outsiders, Stonewall, The Rainbow Flag Award and Just Like Us. Gender-themed stories are read out in lessons on diversity and inclusion or as part of compulsory 'relationships education' despite the objection of parents, who say they were given no warning their children would see such material. The report cites publications including: Grandad's Pride follows Milly, who visits her bereaved grandfather and brings Pride celebrations to his seaside neighbourhood The book featured an image of a person wearing bondage clothing and was first reported on three years ago when it was withdrawn from a pre-school in Hull The report, entitled Through The Looking Glass, has been issued by the SEEN (Sex Equality and Equity Network) in Publishing group. Copies have been sent to MPs and major publishers and it is available to the public online. Bodies are cool is 'a celebration of every kind of body that exists in the world', which features illustrations of different body shapes, hair types and other physical differences It features a written endorsement from Ms Fine, who condemns a 'dismal betrayal of young people' by publishers and an 'unthinking capitulation to a biologically unfounded ideology whose false and troubling messages have damaged so many families'. She says: 'Over the last decade, publishers, booksellers, librarians and joyless would-be authors became a major conduit for trans-activist propaganda and harmful lies.' One of Britain's most decorated writers, Ms Fine has twice won the prestigious Carnegie medal, Britain's leading award for children's authors, and two Whitbread awards for adult fiction. Her books include Madame Doubtfire, which inspired the hit Hollywood movie Mrs Doubtfire, starring Robin Williams. The 78-year-old is rare among authors in speaking out against the trans-rights movement. Fellow writers such children's author Rachel Rooney and Harry Potter creator JK Rowling have been subjected to 'cancellations' in the world of publishing because of their stated beliefs in the reality of biological sex. 'Just as the children's publishing industry appears to have been the first captured, it is still almost the last redoubt of this dangerous idiocy,' Ms Fine writes. Julian is a Mermaid tells the story of a boy who wants to become the mythical creature and won the Stonewall Book Award and the Klaus Flugge Prize 'A consensus enforced by silencing has no place in literature.' The report describes gender ideology as a 'harmful, biologically illiterate and regressive lie' and demands that publishers withdraw all trans-activist literature for children and young people: 'To fail to do so will bring an industry with a reputation already tarnished by progressive authoritarianism into further disrepute. 'This is not a free speech issue but a safeguarding issue. 'No young child should be reading that it is possible to change sex through medicalisation, including brutal double mastectomy. No child at all should have adult fetishes foisted on them. 'The world of children's books has clearly not got the memo that the trans-'cult' and its pseudo religious belief in gender ideology are on the wane for good. 'This report serves as a special delivery of that very memo.' The report suggests that trans-activist children's publishing is largely kept alive through the patronage of primary schools – using taxpayers' money. Campaign group Protect and Teach has compiled a list of more than 100 independent groups it says are promoting trans-activist views to primary-aged children. Bye Bye, Binary is a 'tongue-in-cheek' book which features a baby who 'chooses toys, colours and clothes that make them happy' 'In an open market, most 'trans' books would sink without trace due to the weight of their bad writing and non-existent plots,' say the report's authors. 'This stuff doesn't sell because readers and viewers are repelled by didactic, pedestrian plots reeking of academic queer theory. 'In a bid to make the industry appear less white, straight and middle class, editors have become social engineers, acquiring didactive, inclusivity-by-numbers titles that prioritise the promotion of a diverse utopia over the elements of storytelling that children have historically loved: great characterisation, beautifully built worlds, humour and engaging plots. 'The reason some remain in print is perhaps because they are on lists for use in schools provided by activist groups such as Stonewall. 'Organisations offering training in schools under the guise of diversity and inclusion such as the No Outsiders scheme, Just Like us, Diversity Role Models and EqualiTeach also use story books in schools to spread the lie that changing sex is possible and that being trans is an expression of your true self.' Helen Joyce, from the Sex Matters campaign group, said: 'The extent to which children's publishing has been taken over by trans narratives is quite terrifying. 'Most primary-age children still believe in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy. If they are taught the destabilising and frightening lie that a child can change from being a boy to a girl by superficial means such as changing hairstyle and clothing, they will believe that too.' Through The Looking Glass is produced by SEEN In Publishing in collaboration with Transgender Trend and Biology in Medicine. The report is at www.transgendertrend.com/childrens-trans-themed-books/