Madonna spins a tale for kiddies

Superstar Madonna turned children?s storyteller for 100 youngsters today to launch her new book.

The singer hosted a tea party to herald her latest venture in her varied two-decade career – writing children’s stories.

Her first book The English Roses is published simultaneously around the world in dozens of languages tomorrow.

Madonna took her two children Rocco and Lourdes as well as husband Guy Ritchie to the launch bash at Kensington Roof Gardens in west London.

Despite her US birth, the singer looked very much the English rose herself as she dressed with her blonde hair in a ponytail and wore a demure short sleeved knee length white dress with green and blue floral print with matching shoes.

And she popped on her reading glasses as she nestled on a wrought iron garden swing flanked by her children as she began reading from the book.

– I’m only going to read for as long as you can sit still,- she told her audience, who were accompanied by their parents.

Then she told them: – I like little kids better than big people. They don’t have any bad habits yet, at least not permanent ones.

– I think I’m being upstaged by my children, – she added, as Rocco got out of his seat and fidgeted.
She then read from the book, which has largely been shrouded in secrecy but is the first of five tales which will be published before the end of 2004.
The stories are all moral tales and are based loosely on the teachings of Kabbalah which Madonna follows.
The singer, 45, who’s albums include Bedtime Stories and Ray of Light, showed off the colourful illustrations to the appreciative youngsters, but ended her reading after five minutes.

– If you want to know what else happens to Binah (the central character) and the English Roses, you’re just going to have to read the book, – she said.

Guests who attended the tea party, many of whom had brought their own children included author Martin Amis, designer Linda Barker, chef Gary Rhodes and Nigella Lawson.

Barker’s daughter Jessica, 10, enjoyed the afternoon, as well as the reading.

-I thought it was good,- she said.

Her mum added: – The whole afternoon has been lovely. It was wonderful they had lots of activities for the children so they could make things and paint. –

Source: Irish Examiner

Thanks to Gigarko