McDonald's UK to Give Books Away in Happy Meals

McDonald's in the UK is just hell-bent on making its iconic Happy Meal even less desirable for kids. The burger chain is planning on handing out nine million copies of Michael Morpurgo's Mudpuddle farm books over the period of a month. (You may know Morpurgo as the author of the book Stephen Spielberg's new movie, War Horse, is based on.) According to the Telegraph, the move will temporarily make British McDonald's the largest bookseller in the country which is just... sort of odd?

Anyway, this is a bit controversial. Not because the books are so much more boring than sweet plastic trinkets that normally come with Happy Meals, but because Morpurgo is considered "something of a hero to the nation's children" and according to children's health advocates, putting his books in the meals will actually "make fast food more attractive to children." But then also apparently one in three British kids don't own books so, ugh, fine, eat some chicken nuggets and read a book.

· McDonald's: UK's biggest children's book seller [Telegraph]
· All McDonald's Coverage on Eater [-E-]