Babybug Magazine - www.BabybugMagKids.com

As the mother of a toddler, I've been amazed at how quickly my child gloms on to "spokescharacters" he's seen only once. Well, he's not the only one: this book explains that Dora, Thomas, etc., are part of a massive marketing machine, designed to turn TV-watching toddlers into lifelong customers. Chilling example #1 is the free curricula TV channels provide to cash-strapped daycares and preschools so they can hook kids on their shows. Now when I'm watching "Elmo's World" I expect to feel not just bored and irritated but shameful and manipulated too.