McDonald’s yesterday launched an initiative that encourages children to read books. The fast food chain is to hand out nine million books by Michael Morpurgo, author of the smash hit children’s novel War Horse, with its Happy Meals.

Photo: from www.guardian.co.uk

This is McDonald’s’ common project with publisher HarperCollins. The companies will give away millions of copies of Morpurgo’s Mudpuddle Farm books telling the stories about the animals who live in the farmyard on farm. The initiative is supported by the National Literacy Trust, which is aimed to promote reading within families.

According to McDonald’s, eight out of 10 families visit the fast food chain regularly. The National Literacy Trust conducted a research that revealed that one in three children in the UK (almost four million) don’t own a book. The Trust’s director Jonathan Douglas said in an interview to The Guardian, he was «very supportive of McDonald’s decision to give families access to popular books».

Jack Sallabank, brand partnership manager at the National Literacy Trust, said, meanwhile, that «the National Literacy Trust’s interest in the McDonald’s campaign is not related to the number of Happy Meals sold. Nine million books will be distributed to children during the campaign. In a society where one in three children don’t own a book, this type of campaign will be hugely effective at reaching those who aren’t introduced to reading at home and done so in an environment in which they feel comfortable.»

The program runs starting yesterday till 7 February. Kids purchasing Happy Meal have a choice between Morpurgo’s Mossop’s Last Chance and Martians at Mudpuddle Farm, each book coming with a finger puppet. The novels are also on sale at McDonald’s restaurants without the need to buy a Happy Meal.

In the end of last year, McDonald’s started to redesign its restaurants in France to emphasize its family dining concept.