Friday, January 13, 2012

Pass notes, No 3,106: Michael Morpurgo

the Guardian - 12 January, 2012

The former children's laureate and author of War Horse is giving his books away with McDonald's Happy Meals, all proceeds to charity. Some says it's wonderful, others that junk food has no place in improving literacy

Books and burgers: Michael Morpurgo.
Books and burgers: Michael Morpurgo. Photograph: Fred Tanneau
Age: 68.
Appearance: Balding, ruddy, lightly flecked with manure.
What is he? A farmer? Yes and no. He has three farms, and says he spends half his time mucking out and milking. But you'll know him as a children's author.
That's what you think. He's most famous for War Horse, about a thoroughbred caught up in the first world war. The book was made into a hit play and has now been filmed by Steven Spielberg. It's out on Friday.
I could do with a laugh. Will this deliver it? It suffers from "toxic levels of sentimentality", according to the Guardian's Andrew Pulver.
Ouch! That only means it's true to the spirit of the book. But Morpurgo is pretty much critic-proof. He used to be the children's laureate, has an OBE and is a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, a big deal in France. You get a medallion!
Is this a Pass Note about poncey honours? Au contraire, it's a Pass Note about junk food. From now till 7 February each McDonald's Happy Meal will include one of Morpurgo's Muddlepuddle Farm books. Morpurgo will be giving all his royalties to his charity Farms for City Children.
Don't Happy Meals mean Crappy Toys? Each book will come with a finger puppet. But officially this is all about the books. The National Literacy Trust calls it "a huge leap towards encouraging more families to read together".
Let's have the rest of that quote. What do you mean?
The bit that goes "… while eating salty, fatty, greasy crap". There doesn't seem to have been room on the press release. But the Children's Food Campaign has helpfully spelled it out. "The idea appears to be designed to make fast food more attractive to children, which is not the direction we should be going in … You have to question whether it is McDonald's role in society to improve childhood literacy."
There are some terrible cynics out there. There certainly are. And if McDonald's didn't have such good lawyers we could identify them.
Do say: "Can I have it without the fries and burger?"
Don't say: "Supersize me."

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