Parents' Guide to

Chew on This

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Fast Food Nation for kids is quite meaty.

Book Charles Wilson, Eric Schlosser Learning 2006
Chew on This Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 15+

Based on 2 parent reviews

MrsAshley09
MrsAshley09 Parent of 4, 7 and 11-year-old
August 3, 2018
age 11+

Down With Fast Food!

This book was an opening door to how much fast food is consumed and how it affects your body. Everything that goes around comes back around, same thing with fast food. When you eat it, you are literally just hurting your body. Just read this book and you will understand.
DietMtnDew
DietMtnDew Adult
June 19, 2013
age 18+

Poisoning Minds

This book is a terrible influence on children. This book only tells one half of the story. "Chew On This" only talks about extreme cases that occur sometimes, but doesn't mention any of the "pros". The book left my child VERY anxious about what happens when we go out for hamburgers at McDonalds. I do not think that "Chew On This" is appropriate for children AT ALL.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

This book teaches kids the history of fast food, and shows them the impact it has had on society. Kids learn about the chemicals in the food, how junk food is marketed (and why kids make great targets), how animals are raised and killed, and what it is doing to our bodies.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (12):

You have to admit, the subject matter is as fascinating as it is repulsive; you don't want to look, and yet you can't turn away. Fast Food Nation fans will certainly recognize much of the material here; this book features many of the same stories and facts about junk food.


Teens may be especially drawn to the profiles of kids throughout the book: The McDonald's employee working long hours at the expense of her school work, the Native American girl working to stop soft drink sales at her school, the obese teen boy worried about having gastric bypass surgery. The photographs seem randomly placed throughout the book, and the narrative can wander a bit. Even so, teens probably will be inspired to rethink their habits.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about their eating habits. How do your kids think they are doing versus most American teens and tweens?

  • The authors encourage kids to vote with their dollars and "stop buying" junk food from fast-food companies. Ask your kids: Do they think that individual behavior can really make an impact on society? What else could you do to make a difference? Check out the publisher's press release for some ideas.

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate