Kylie launches children's book

Kylie Minogue embraces six-year-old Megan Hondius at a book store in central London.
Photo: Reuters

Australian pop star Kylie Minogue launched her first children's book at the weekend, joining a long list of celebrities writing for the young.

Publishing experts say that in the celebrity age, marketing is increasingly important to a book's sales and more and more stars are putting pen to paper with varying degrees of success.

But while kids' books can seem the easy option when launching a literary career, they are harder to get right than they appear, children's authors add.

From the publisher's point of view, the advantage of attracting a big star is clear, despite the risk of critical derision or cynicism within the industry, experts say.

The first in a series of children's books by US pop star Madonna, The English Roses, was described by the San Francisco Chronicle in 2003 as "cynical" and "unimaginative", but it went on to become the fastest selling picture book of all time.

Minogue's book is about how Kylie becomes a showgirl with the help of a dedicated group of friends, and was written while the singer recovered from breast cancer treatment. It features artwork inspired by drawings sent by fans during convalescence.

The book, published by Penguin arm Puffin, went on sale on Sept. 21 in Australia and Britain, and was officially launched by the 38-year-old at a book signing in London at the weekend.

"I think it's a nice, frothy, bubbly confection," said Graham Marks, children's editor at Publishing News. "It's not literature, but there's nothing wrong with that."

The book is the latest step on the singer's comeback trail.

Her Showgirl Tour, postponed in May, 2005 when she was diagnosed with the disease, resumes in November.

"I met with the publishers whilst I was having treatment, so yes, it was therapeutic to be working on something that I could basically do through meetings and on the computer and on the internet," Minogue said.

Caroline Horn, children's editor at the Bookseller publication, said professional writers sometimes felt resentment towards celebrities who can command large advances.

Children's authors typically get an advance of STG5,000-STG10,000 rising to STG20,000 - STG30,000 if they are well established, but such figures can be eclipsed by stars.

"A lot of what's selling these days comes down to the PR and the marketing," Horn said.

"That is the trend now. Books and authors are becoming more and more of a brand. But at the same time I think it's hard for publishers for it not to seem a little cynical."

Leading children's author Geraldine McCaughrean, whose official sequel to J.M. Barrie's classic Peter Pan is released this week, said resentment was not only about money.

"What really gets up writers' noses is when people who have no association with books or talent for writing do it as if it's something that anyone can produce," she told Reuters.

Some have found both critical and commercial success, such as British comedian Ricky Gervais and his Flanimals series.