Posted on 09/16/2003 3:24:38 AM PDT by Freedomsfriend
Pupils hear Madonna's morality tale
Angelique Chrisafis Tuesday September 16, 2003 The Guardian
In the reading corner at Islington's Hugh Myddleton primary school, year four stopped maths to hear a new book. The eight- and nine-year-olds were not sure if they would have been that excited about a new book if it had not been written by the pop icon Madonna.
"Didn't she kiss a girl, or was that Britney Spears?" wondered one boy, who knew her "from the newspapers".
The English Roses, published yesterday, had the biggest simultaneous world launch in publishing history in 30 languages and 100 countries. A story of four well-dressed and unwittingly bitchy girls, it purports to be a morality tale drawn from the Kabbalah, the school of Jewish mysticism which Madonna has studied for some years. When the four girls realise their beautiful, but ostracised, classmate has no mother and does all the cleaning at home, they relent and let her come on their picnics.
After the pop, the Hollywood films, the nudity and the foray on to the West End stage, Madonna, 45, aims to resuscitate her serious side with five children's morality tales by 2004. But like her London theatre debut, the book has had a mixed reception. First impressions have ranged from "a fabulous, affirmative ending" to suggestions that with "no characterisation, no story and a flat tone" it would never have been published if not for the name on the spine.
In year four, at least 10 pupils said their mothers had Madonna's albums. But Madonna was best known to the children "for those new adverts for trousers for the Gap". The global branding message aimed at the pop star's target audience of six- to nine-year-olds had clearly been achieved. The clothing chain, Gap, is stocking Madonna's book as part of its advertising deal.
Whether children can afford to buy the English Roses is a different issue. "Twelve pounds, ninety-nine pence? No way, it's more than Harry Potter," said Wasif. "Can I get it out of the library?"
It struck a painful chord with the children who had been bullied.
"It teaches you that instead of leaving people out because you are different to them, you should let them join in," said Alexis. Amy, who identified with the bullied Binah, said: "It teaches you should be nice to people who are new to your school." "It makes me feel like I did when it happened to me," said Jago. "It teaches you bullying is wrong." She admitted that other stories, poems and school lessons taught her bullying was wrong. Madonna's book, which was "like Cinderella", was not new.
But the pop star's finger-wagging narratorial style sometimes hit a blank wall. "Now stop interrupting me," says the narrator as if from nowhere. Year four, who had sat silent, patiently listening, looked faintly startled.
The bright, supermodel-style illustrations by the fashion artist Jeffrey Fulvimari were well received. "That's Barbie" and "that's Kylie" came the cries from the floor. "It looks like it was done on the internet," said Wasif, impressed.
Meanwhile Madonna appeared at the book's Paris launch last night, recovering from her announcement that she did not know who Enid Blyton was. Asked in London if she aimed to be the next Blyton, the American-born star looked blank and asked: "Who is that? Is she good?"
She wouldn't know who Mark Twain was.
Kalifornia Kabbala, maybe. Jews nowadays don't encourage the study of Kabbala, but only Orthodox Jewish men over forty (plus prerequsites) were ever allowed to study it.
"No need."
I wonder, can you just buy a copy of the real Kabbala at a bookstore?
Madonna, as well as the author of the article, thinks that staring at a book and turning pages is studying...
The sad part this view is shared by so many in this country. That is the only reason we even know her name. The woman has nothing to say.
This is Kalifornia Kabbalah.
Evidently not a fan of Britney
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