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SALT LAKE CITY — Participating McDonald’s throughout Utah are offering children’s books instead of toys in Happy Meals until Jan. 22.
McDonald’s joined with HarperCollin’s Children’s Books for its second annual Happy Meal program to help children read more, according to a news release. The initiative started Jan. 9 and will run until Jan. 22 at participating McDonald’s throughout Utah, western Wyoming and eastern Nevada.
Four classic children’s books will be given in the Happy Meals: “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” “Big Nate: In a Class by Himself,” “Pete the Cat and His Magic Sunglasses” and “Flat Stanley Goes Camping.” A related activity will also be included with the books in the Happy Meals. The book are available in English and Spanish in select locations.
“For the second time in two years, we’re proud to invite families to spread the spirit of learning and lovin’ that’s synonymous with our brand through these fun, classic Happy Meal Books,” Utah McDonald’s owner-operator Dave Parrish said in a news release. “Books are essential for inspiring children to explore, dream and achieve, yet far too many children do not have access to this basic resource.”
The Utah area McDonald’s will also donate 1,000 of the Happy Meal books to the Utah State Library Bookmobile program. Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox kicked off the donations with an event at Fairview Elementary on Monday. Cox read to 275 Fairview Elementary students and handed out free books to each child.
“Each child is important and deserves every opportunity to learn to read and become literate,” Cox said in a news release. “We know reading is the basic tool for success in school, work and throughout life.”
During the first initiative in November 2013, McDonald’s restaurants distributed about 17 million books to kids nationwide during a two-week period, the news release said.
