McDonalds Happy Meal Books Criticized For "Trying To Earn Undeserved Goodwill"-- Here's Why

McDonalds announced they will have books in Happy Meals-but they're being criticized for it. Hard. An advocacy group says McDonalds is " trying to earn undeserved goodwill from the growing number of parents and health advocates who are calling on them to stop marketing to kids."

The books in Happy Meals will be distributed in November. McDonald's, based in Oak Brook, Ill, plans to give books in Happy Meals starting November 1. They will provide more than 20 million books to families, as well as give 100,000 additional books to the literacy non-profit Reading is Fundamental.

The books in Happy Meals will be one of four choices featuring McDonald's Happy Meal characters.

However, the advocacy group, Corporate Accountability International, says McDonalds is trying to distract consumers from how unhealthy the food is and promote goodwill.

The group's "Value the Meal" campaign director Sara Deon called the effort to have books in Happy Meals "a thinly-veiled promotion designed to get the brand in front of more kids and earn goodwill."

"By associating the brand with a message of healthy eating, it's tricking kids and parents into thinking that McDonald's has their best interests in mind," she said. "This move is clearly a reaction to growing pressure from parents and health professionals around the impact its marketing is having on kids - driving an epidemic of diet-related disease. This is not the change parents and health professionals have been demanding."

McDonald's has been trying to step up its healthy offerings, announcing they would have more fruits and veggies.

Do you think the advocacy group is right, or are books in Happy Meals a good idea? Sound off below!