Name: Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone Age: 45 Nationality: American Claim to fame: Pop icon turned children’s storybook writer
REMAINING a pop phenomenon for almost 20 years without dying or lapsing into self-parody is quite a feat. And Madonna has done it by reinventing herself in order to keep the world’s attention glued to her, even if it means being shocking and controversial. She didn’t mind people hating her, as long as they took notice of her. But it seems the years and motherhood has mellowed the pop artist for this time she has hit the headlines for something that is winning a nod of approval from everyone.
Madonna, who launched her career as children’s author less than two months ago, has come out with her second book Mr Peabody’s Apples. The book has been published in 36 languages and is available in more than 100 countries, which means it is a bigger global launch than the first one, The English Roses.
Her first effort debuted atop the New York Times’ list of children’s bestsellers and remained there for five weeks, breaking publishing records by being translated into 30 languages for immediate sale in 100 countries. The English Roses had even her critics praising how effectively she crafted an original and complicated story of envy and friendship, examining the subtle but cruel ways girls exclude those they envy or pity.
In the second of Madonna’s expected five books, Mr Peabody’s Apples, illustrated by Loren Long, the pop star and mother turns her attention to young boys, baseball and telling the truth. Mr Peabody’s Apples, which Madonna dedicates to teachers everywhere, is a story about the power of words and the importance of teachers. The story is inspired by a centuries-old story she heard in her childhood about the value of truth and the pain that comes with gossip that spreads like wildfire.
The highly stylized line-drawn portraits in the first book, seem targeted more for adult eyes than children’s. The audience for Mr Peabody’s Apples appears to be grade-schoolers who need to be reminded that their actions have consequences. Madonna says her profits from the book will be donated to the Spirituality for Kids Foundation.
Motherhood has clearly seems to have tamed the wild and insatiable side of Madonna’s personality who is married to film director Guy Ritchie, with whom she has a son, Rocco, born in August 2000. But her transformation started when her daughter Lourdes, was born in October 1996, inspiring the album Ray Of Light which won a Grammy award. She said in an interview: “My daughter’s birth was like a rebirth for me. As a mother, I feel like I’m starting my life all over in some ways.”
Madonna shot to global fame in 1984 with the numbers Holiday and Like A Virgin. Since then she has had 15 American top-five hits to her credit — more than Elvis Presley or the Beatles. As an actress, she has not been able to win much critical acclaim, except for her Golden Globe-winning performance as Eva Peron in the film version of Evita.
Madonna’s new avatar as children’s author and her success at it testifies the fact that as a global cultural icons, none can match her.
REMAINING a pop phenomenon for almost 20 years without dying or lapsing into self-parody is quite a feat. And Madonna has done it by reinventing herself in order to keep the world’s attention glued to her, even if it means being shocking and controversial. She didn’t mind people hating her, as long as they took notice of her. But it seems the years and motherhood has mellowed the pop artist for this time she has hit the headlines for something that is winning a nod of approval from everyone.
