BRB, flying to Britain for these Roald Dahl Happy Meals

Some of my happiest childhood reading memories have come from British writer Roald Dahl, whose books are filled with ridiculously imaginative and poignant universes. With a taste for troublemaking protagonists and magic, Dahl’s books are iconic and enduring for those who read them. And now, they’re being released with . . . McDonald’s Happy Meals?

That’s right, none other than Mickey D’s is teaming up with Dahl’s estate to release a sampler of some of his most famous stories via Happy Meals. Comprised of a mix of stories like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, George’s Magical Medicine, and Matilda, the samplers will be used to introduce a new generation of kids to Dahl’s work and hopefully get them to check out the rest of his oeuvre. (Not named but hopefully included: The BFG, James and the Giant Peach, The Witches.)

This actually isn’t the first children’s book partnership that McDonald’s has done. As The Guardian notes, McDonald’s started their Happy Readers program back in 2013 and have since distributed over 22 million books. This latest deal with Dahl’s estate is being pushed by the UK’s National Literary Trust, which observed that 15.4% of children in Britain don’t have a single book of their own.

All these mentions of the UK aren’t an accident; the Dahl-included Happy Meals are only being distributed in Britain right now. However, we can think of a totally legitimate reason to bring the program to the States: Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of The BFG is hitting theaters in 2016. Hey, American kids (and adults) also need an introduction to Dahl’s work. If they’re paired up with McNuggets and those glorious, glorious fries, all the better. (And perhaps, finish it all off with a slice of chocolate cake. Just kidding, eat your fruits and veggies, everybody.)

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[Image courtesy of TriStar Pictures.]