Thinking of the children: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch examines the growing backlash against advertising aimed at children:

"Cover Concepts Inc., based in New York City, offers schools free textbook covers, bookmarks, notebooks and other supplies emblazoned with corporate logos and cartoon characters. Cover Concepts is owned by Marvel Enterprises Inc., one of the world's leading comic-book publishers.

"Its materials are in 400 schools in the St. Louis area, reaching 225,000 to 230,000 students here, said Anita Murrmann, executive director. 'We found out that the average teacher spends over $700 out of their own pocket to provide their students with (such) materials,' Murrmann said, so the company is simply filling a need."