Madonna Books

Madonna talks about writing her children's books:

Portrait of Madonna by Fulvimari.

"Mostpeople think that I've made a career out of doing the unexpected, and to a certain extent, they're right. While I've envisioned myself doing many things in this life, writing children's books was never one of them. So how did it happen?

The idea first came about through my Kabbalah teacher, who suggested that I share the spiritual wisdom I've learned studying the Kabbalah by writing children’s stories.

And then there's my own children. Raising kids makes most people, including myself, grow up at least a little. It also makes us more responsible and more thoughtful about our own actions and their consequences for those around us.

Reading to my kids at night seemed like the ideal time to teach them a thing or two about life, love and the pursuit of happiness.

The world's seal of approval could never mean as much to me as my daughter's. If she fidgeted, fell asleep or reached for another book while I read my "works in progress" to her, I knew I was not finished with my work.

The English Roses is the first of five stories I have written. It deals with envy and jealousy - and how these emotions cause so much unnecessary suffering in our lives. I only wish I had read about some of these subjects when I was a little kid.

I hope these children's books inspire kids of all ages - even grown-up ones."

The English Roses

The English Roses
Released: September 15, 2003
Author: Madonna
Illustrator: Jeffrey Fulvimari

Book Description:
The English Roses is a story of rivalry and friendship among schoolgirls in contemporary London. Four little girls-Nicole, Amy, Charlotte, and Grace-are eleven years old and the very best of friends. They have sleepovers, picnics and ice-skating parties that exclude Binah, a beautiful girl whose seemingly perfect life makes them "green with envy." However, when a feisty, pumpernickel-loving fairy godmother takes them on a magical journey, they learn to their great surprise that Binah's life is not nearly as enviable as it had seemed. The English Roses is an inspiring story about the importance of compassion and the rewards of friendship.

Interesting Tidbits:

To date The English Roses has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide.
The English Roses was the New York Times Children's No. 1 Bestseller for seven weeks.
Roses debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times' best-seller list.
Madonna first children's book was published in 37 languages and released in more than 110 countries worldwide.

The critics say:

"Forget Madonna's wild ways, she offers a vital message for girls: Judge the book, not the author."
USA Today

"Madonna is definitely on to something."
The Wall Street Journal

Mr. Peabody's Apples

Mr. Peabody's Apples
Released: November 10, 2003
Author: Madonna
Illustrator: Loren Long

Book Description:
Mr. Peabody's Apples takes place in 1949 in Happville, USA. Mr. Peabody is the beloved elementary school teacher and baseball coach, who one day finds himself ostracized when rumors spread through the small town. Mr. Peabody silences the gossip with an unforgettable and poignant lesson about how we must choose our words carefully to avoid causing harm to others.

Madonna dedicates Mr. Peabody's Apples to teachers everywhere.

Interesting Tidbits:

Mr. Peabody's Apples debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times' best-seller list.
Published in 37 languages and released in more than 110 countries worldwide.
Mr. Peabody's Apples is Madonna's second children's book in a series of five.
Madonna's children's books are being published in the following languages: Albanian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Faroese, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Latvian, Lithuanian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Taiwanese, Thai, Turkish

The critics say:

"With its late Forties, small-town American setting, it evokes the highly moral world of Jimmy Stewart and It's a Wonderful Life, of apple pie, picket fences, Little League baseball, milkshakes and-of course-of right and wrong."
The Times of London magazine

Yakov and the Seven Thieves

Yakov and the Seven Thieves
Released: April 26 2004
Author: Madonna
Illustrator: Gennady Spirin

Book Description:
Sometimes, upright deeds come from crooked criminals... Yakov, a kindly cobbler desperate to find a cure for his dying son, seeks advice from the wise old man at the edge of the village. This sage enlists the help of seven thieves, who humorously prove that miracles can occur if we renounce our wicked ways and embrace good behavior.

Interesting Tidbits:

Published in 37 languages and released in more than 110 countries worldwide.
Yakov is Madonna's third children's book in a series of five.

The critics say:

The Barnes & Noble Review
"Madonna spins another lesson-teaching yarn in her third picture book for children "(even grown-up ones)," this time drawing inspiration from an 18th-century Ukrainian teacher for a tale about overcoming selfishness to help others. Paired with ornate, awe-inspiring illustrations by award winner Gennady Spirin, the author's tale -- "dedicated to naughty children everywhere" -- centers on a cobbler, Yakov, who looks toward a wise man to help cure his deathly ill son. Although the wise man's prayers alone cannot help Yakov, the cobbler's sincerity drives the old man to round up seven of the town's thieves and scoundrels, including the malodorous Stinky Pasha and a one-legged rascal named Ivan the Arsonist. When a surprising group effort leads to the son's recovery, an explanation from the wise man reveals the miraculous reason, giving a jubilant Yakov and us readers plenty to ponder. In her first children's book with a pre-20th-century setting, Madonna combines storytelling resourcefulness with a non-Western theme for a read that will sit comfortably alongside her previous two books. Without a doubt, Spirin's artwork is the tour de force here, bringing to life Ukrainian landscapes and culture in a way that reflects the artist's remarkable attention to detail. For those who enjoyed The English Roses and Mr. Peabody's Apples, this story, which follows a familiar format of old-fashioned fables, makes a fine addition to your Madonna "literary" collection." Matt Warner

The Adventures Of Abdi

The Adventures Of Abdi
Released: 2004
Author: Madonna
Illustrator: Andrej Dugin

Book Description:
In her fourth book for children, the music superstar tells the story of a little boy named Abdi. Living long ago in a land far away, Abdi is given a very big task. Readers can join Abdi on his fantastic journey into a magical world of ruthless rogues and deadly dungeons, and learn a valuable lesson along with Abdi.

Interesting Tidbits:

Published in 37 languages and released in more than 110 countries worldwide.
Adventures of Abdi is Madonna's fourth children's book in a series of five.

The critics say:

The Barnes & Noble Review
" A young boy goes on a magical errand in Madonna's fourth lavish picture book for children. Set "in a land far away from the one we know," this lesson about life's riches follows young Abdi, an orphan who is instructed to bring the queen a necklace for her birthday. On his journey through the desert, Abdi meets a group of Bedouins, two of whom decide to steal the necklace and replace it with a snake. Abdi is thrown in prison when the royals discover his "trickery," but with the help of a guardian (who reveals that things are not as they seem), the queen gets her necklace and the two thieves get their comeuppance. Brought brilliantly to life by illustrators Olga Dugina and Andrej Dugin, this is one feast for the eyes that also provides food for thought. Breathtaking illustrations with sandy hues and intricate Middle Eastern designs create scenes of mind-bending, surreal fantasy, leaving readers to wonder what dreamy adventure Madonna will conjure next." Matt Warner

Lotsa de Casha

Lotsa de Casha
Released: 2005
Author: Madonna
Illustrator: Rui Paes

Book Description:
A man who has spent his life making money, but who cannot find happiness, learns some valuable lessons from unlikely sources

Interesting Tidbits:

Published in 37 languages and released in more than 110 countries worldwide.
Adventures of Abdi is Madonna's fourth children's book in a series of five.

The critics say:

"The final beautiful picture book from icon and pop legend Madonna.

Madonna continues to bewitch and enchant children and fans alike with her mega-selling, sumptuous giftbooks. The final chapter in this stunning collection of modern fables turns to eighteenth-century France and Italy for its inspiration, as the spoiled, selfish Lotsa da Casha tries to discover the secret to true happiness. A humorous text, luxurious production values, fabulous illustrations – the perfect conclusion to a truly perfect string of hits." -
chapters.indigo.ca

X-Static Process

'X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS'
Released: 2003
Author: Madonna
Photography: Steven Klein

Book Description:
Madonna presents herself as "a performer in a landscape where she creates and brings her ideas to life or death." Steven Klein's intention was to work with Madonna as a performance artist, creating a situation where she could respond directly to the camera without constraint. The project is not about photography of celebrity, but about the person and the passions beneath the surface. Klein sees Madonna as a messenger, asking people to wake up and confront the dehumanizing forces in the contemporary world.

Rather than the packaged glamour that one might expect from the collaboration of a pop star and a top fashion photographer, the work is raw and menacing. The spirit is apocalyptic. Madonna and Steven Klein enter into a subconscious realm of primitive fears and desires. The work has a religious passion and a sexual charge. The theatricality increases with the intensity of the emotions.

Interesting Tidbits:

Madonna's third coffee table book sold for for $350 each.
260 pages of 4 color images in a sealed, numbered edition of only 1000 copies.
Hand-bound and printed in Italy.
Printed on customized paper with brushed cotton paper slipcase

The Girlie Show Book

The Girlie Show Book
Released: January 2005
Author: Madonna
Photographer: Various

Book Description:
The Girlie Show was Madonna's second collaboration with Callaway. It recreates in words, images, and music her enormously successful 1993 world concert tour of the same name. Madonna herself contributed the preface and the book contains running commentary by Glenn O'Brien. The audio CD includes three live concert tracks.

Interesting Tidbits:

Madonna's second coffee table book sold for $30 each
140,000 copies sold
Published in the US by Callaway
Co-editions: UK, France, Germany, Japan
Packaged with an audio CD containing: "Like A Virgin", "In This Life", "Why's It So Hard"
Out of print.

SEX

SEX
Released: October 21, 1992
Author: Madonna
Photographer: Steven Meisel

Book Description:
Perhaps the most notorious book ever published in the trade, Sex is also the largest-grossing illustrated book of all time. Photographed by Steven Meisel, designed by Fabien Baron, and written by Madonna, the book explores the Material Girl’s innermost sexual fantasies in vividly graphic form. Thousands of articles addressing the moral, religious, economic, and political implications of Sex focused such international attention on it that virtually all of the editions around the world sold out within a week of release.

Interesting Tidbits:

Madonna's first coffee table book sold for $49.95 each.
Sex entered The New York Times Bestseller List at No. 1.
1,400,000 copies sold in 6 months with 8 printings in total.
US publisher: Warner Books
Co-editions: UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan
128 pages of Madonna
Packaged in mylar resembling a condom package with an audio CD containing "Erotic", a remix of "Erotica".
For more information and photos check out the SEX area.

Nobody Knows Me

Nobody Knows Me
Released: January 2004
Author: Madonna
Photographer: Various

Book Description:
Nobody Knows Me is Madonna's ultimate statement to her fans. 52 pages of success, rare and unseen shots commented by an Icon and her angels. Music, love, fashion, stardom and much more

Interesting Tidbits:

"Nobody Knows Me" was available exclusively for one month only via Madonna's official website.
The magazine/book sold for $24 each.