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By: Betsy Bird, Julie Danielson, & Peter D. Sieruta

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And to Think That I Saw It on Hollywood Boulevard           The Celebrity Children’s Book Craze

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And to Think That I Saw It on Hollywood Boulevard           The Celebrity Children’s Book Craze

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I'm getting out my pointy bra and brushing up on my singing and dancing, because there's no good pop music out there.

-author Jane Yolen

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All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Racketeering

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All I Really Need To Know I Learned From Racketeering

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Celebrities ranging from football wide receiver Terrell Owen's to comedian Jay Leno are some of the famous people to write children books. In addition, not limited to criminal such as John A. Gotti, while incarcerated wrote an inspirational children's book, "The Children of Shaolin Forest". His attorney's argued he had now turned to writing children's books rather than extort and racketeer. Also, other artists such as actor Billy Crystal wrote a book about the relationship between grandfather and grandchild. The country singer Leann Rimes wrote about a tale based on the friendship between two wild cubs that had a moral. Artists ranging from Brooke Shields, Gloria Estefan, Peyton Manning, Sting, Whoopi Goldberg, Kathie Lee Gifford, and even a female member of the U.S. Supreme Court felt inspired to write books which ended up in shelves around the world. Furthermore, musicians ranging from Bob Dylan to Peter Yarrow both based their picture books on songs they'd compose themselves.

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Speaking of Celebrities, Part 1 A Hole Lotta Catching Up To Do

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Speaking of Celebrities, Part 1 A Hole Lotta Catching Up To Do

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Paula Fox is best known as the best known in the children's book world for her Newbery-winning novel "The Slave Dancer" and the Newbery Honor book "One-Eyed Cat". She was of children's literary great that received the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1978. Early on Fox was pregnant and unhappy in her marriage. This led her to give her daughter up for adoption once her marriage fell apart. She instantly regretted it however, she was told it was too late. It was fifty years later she encountered her daughter Linda Carroll, a therapist from Oregon. Later, she found out she was a grandmother of five grandchildren which included granddaughter Courtney Love.

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What About Those MFA Programs In Writing For Children?

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What About Those MFA Programs In Writing For Children?

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Author-Illustrator Elisha Cooper, wasn't too happy having celebrities come into the writing world and becoming authors. Her perspective included not nice words such as she stated, "stay the hell out of our business." She stressed that celebrities work was just picture based books and not authentic writing that would create lifelong readers. She disliked how singer/performer Madonna seemed to write books just because she thought how the stories were meaningless and easy to write. In addition, author Jane Yolen's response was far from encouraging. She was disgusted how Madonna had left out the illustrator in her book covers as if they were just back-up member of her entourage. Other celebrities include Geri Halliwell former Spice Girl, Jennie Garth, and Tori Spelling that simply enjoyed reading to their kids and felt compelled to write because they were parents or wanted to feel empowered. Author Emily Jenkins, that the average story told by parents is meandering and filled with cliches. However, if a parent is famous book contracts are awarded, no matter how insipid the text is. Children literature written by a celebrity has a higher support system because people want to feel closer to them.

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Celebrities aren't necessary met with bad reviews. Some are well received by professional reviewers and often received with great support. Jamie Lee Curtis who wrote her first picture book in 1993 was met with a great response. Her approach of adding her personal spin on silliest and more bumbling moments of her childhood which she integrated into her writings. Other celebrities include Julie Andrew who wrote her first children's novel in 1971, making it the beginning of the modern era of the celebrity children's book "Mandy" and "The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles" were met with praise from children and critics. Editor Stephen Roxburgh states, "every once in a while, a celebrity comes along who can write." There are some celebrities who can write and make a great books all while continuing in being successful in other areas of their professional lives.

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A Celebrity's Guide To Writing For Children

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A Celebrity's Guide To Writing For Children

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Ed Pilkington has outlined some rules celebrities need to pass to authors. The first rule consists of "Why use simple names for characters when you can invent fanciful and, frankly, ridiculous ones?" He goes on to explain that celeb authors including Madonna and Whoopi Goldberg are some celebrities who have been creative when it comes to naming their characters in books they have written. Secondly, he emphasizes on creating moral driven stories that send a message to young readers.  Such as, Whoopi, laying down the law with manners, Leann Rimes' message is to stand up to their fears as well as to their peers, and Will Smith's going easy on swears but always telling the truth.  However, it seems that celebrity books often concentrate on good deeds or life lesson rather than just focus on good books.
Maurice Sendak shared his view before his passing saying that the children know the truth "and they struggle with it and they despise you for giving them a sugar pill". He noted that children see things as they really are-honest and unsentimental. Some books that are questioned are books such as Billy Crystal's two picture books "I Already Know I Love You" and "Grandpa's Little One" are written under Crystal's perspective of grandparenthood. Some question this as to be children's literature. Furthermore, celebrity author's don't follow the normality of splitting a fifty-fifty profit with the illustrator. Celebrity author's often requests ownership of all materials associated with his or her name, which gives them unlimited freedom with the picture-book illustrations.

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Publishing companies often overlook authors to prioritize celebrities because of their stardom. In November 2005 Publishers Weekly wrote that picture-books sales were slipping however, celebrity books and established authors weren't suffering from this crisis. It was said that publishing companies do spend a lot on celebrity books and the pressure is no different. They are often pressured to be on an accelerated schedule to be able to put the product out. Often publishing houses struggle to attain bestsellers whether be authentic writers or celebrities. Corporations that control publishing look into revenues and the challenges they entail. Often the publish several books from a celebrity so they can offset any misses of other books that were not quite bestsellers. "It's a gamble-and gambling is always expensive, even with a win." Bottomline books are expensive to make and celebrities, agents, and publishers have got work together to make is succeed. Lastly, some celeb authors have been successful such as the Newbery winner, Richard Peck's "A Year Down Yonder", sold 149,000 copies, Maria Shriver published a children's book the same year, which sold 264,000. Most children's authors would love to see these kind of copies in a decade much less within a year.

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Eloise: When The Books Overshadow The Celebrity

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Eloise: When The Books Overshadow The Celebrity

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Kay Thompson in 1947 was a comedienne, pianist, singer, arranger, choreographer, and actress performing some comedy routines at Ciro's in Hollywood. Life magazine described her "rowdy burlesque as the stuff that creates an overnight sensation". Her first experience was an aspiring singer who left for Hollywood and decided to try acting. Present day Kay Thompson was best known for her best-selling Eloise books published in 1950s. She was one of the few successful writers who first pursued another profession which also became a successful entertainer.

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As time goes by it seems the new normal is celebrity authors writing more and more children books. However, most children are not connected to the celebrity like adults are, they have no recognition of whom it is coming from other than just reading a good book. Unlike celebrities often just write books to repair reputations. For example, the Duchess of York, post-royal-toe-sucking scandal and many children may take the author as a role model. Other scandals include Geri Halliwell and Madonna who impose risqué and "pornification" of young girls as normal. Also, talk shows choose celebrities other than authors to televise interviews based on their advertising of new books. Such as Whoopi Goldberg and Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi are some celebrities that were given priority to interview on air other than normal authors. Celebrity status overcome regular writers mainly because of the publisher's fault. Even though at times celebrities don't have real talent compared to other writers that do have the talent. These writers often get sidelined because of the "celebrity status" the celeb authors entail. Jon Scieszka stated, "children are unrelenting critics, and they do not care about the number of movies or televisions shows in which someone has started." Clarifying that kids are kids and often all they want to do is read a book not interested who wrote it.