Anthony Arrowroot and Nutty Nutella: Advertising in Children’s Literature

Merchandising, product placement and advertising in children’s literature can be seen as distasteful, due to the obvious manipulation of the audience, who are likely to be too young to be able to critically assess their reading material. I suggest that marketing of products for adults and children through narratives for children addresses a dual readership with varying degrees of success. This article examines a selection of advertising material found in the Children’s Literature Collection at the State Library of Victoria, including works by well known artists such as Ida Rentoul Outhwaite, companies such as Arnott’s, and instructive or educational works such as safety booklets and encyclopedias.