My dad told me about some critics that are complaining about the Pizza Hut Book It program. He asked my opinion, my immediate answer:
They are Big Dummies!

Susan Linn, their leader, said it “undermines parents”, “promotes junk food”, and said it “epitomizes everything that’s wrong…” HEY SUSAN, you may be a Harvard doc, but when it comes to kids and reading, you’re a Big Dummy, and you can Book that.

Some of my favorite times has been when my mom takes me to the Pizza Hut to cash in on the Book It program. It doesn’t happen every day, and it’s great quality time with my mom. “Undermine parents”? Just the opposite, it brought us closer, and I appreciated her taking the time to take me by there. Also, I felt a little proud to cash in for my mom to see!

And I like the pizza, what’s so wrong about that? “Junk food”? I’m lean and athletic, and have a ripped stomach you will probably never have. (photo coming soon) Obesity? You don’t get obese from visiting a Pizza Hut a few times a year, even a month. That’s ridiculous. Since when did having some bread, tomato paste, and cheese become junk? Civilizations have eaten basic foods like that for centuries; I learned that in 5th grade history, what’s your excuse?

Oh, and the “epitomizes,” blah, blah, blah. Big words from a little person. And that’s coming from a 12 year old. A 12 year old that loves to read, and has built on that reading to write as well. That reading helped give me the vocabulary to win the county speech contest as a nine year old, and has taken me to countless imaginary worlds. I salute Pizza Hut for a great job encouraging kids to read, and hope people see that Susan Linn makes no sense. No donuts for you or your Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.

Additional:
>>Dad sez: “Nick has read piles of books for the sheer joy of it, AND loves the Book It program. This lady is full of herself, and harmful to kids.”

Recommend articles: Here are some blogs and articles that get it right. Five donuts for each of them!

Any program that promotes childhood literacy is positive
– Melissa Whalen

Pizza Hut is not the problem
– Eric Strand

Parents, kids don’t need Harvard expert’s battle against ‘Book It’ pizzas
– The Morning Journal

Get Your Kids Hooked on Reading with Book It
– Alicia Bodine