Published by Red Deer Press
Summary: If you’ve ever chuckled at the antics of Ronald McDonald or felt a kinship when your favorite movie star drank a Diet Coke, you’ve been the target of junk food marketing. This book explains how kids are a big market and how food companies try to get inside their young heads to persuade them to purchase their products. From cartoon characters to apps and online games to signs around your favorite stadium, advertising is everywhere. The author helps kids, parents, and teachers understand the insidious ways of the marketers so that they can have an awareness of what is being sold to them and make informed decisions. Includes a list of activities, glossary, sources, and an interview with the author. 40 pages; grades 4-7.
Pros: Liberally illustrated with photos (ironically, many look mouth-wateringly delicious), this is an effective message for kids and their parents and teachers to use, and gives them tools to make healthier choices when it comes to food.
Cons: The pages are pretty text-heavy, so this may be used more for research than for browsing or recreational reading.