Harry Potter, watch out! Pop superstar Madonna is planning her own global assault on bookstores on September 15 when her first children's book will be published simultaneously in 30 languages and 100 countries.
The mother-of-two will be in Paris to unveil English Roses, the first of five volumes, each illustrated by a well-known artist, a spokeswoman for French publisher Gallimard said on Thursday.
Her fame is sure to help sell the book, the first published novel she has written, though catching up with the runaway global success of Potter might need a touch of magic.
Details of the hotly awaited first tome remain under wraps until the release date.
Media reports said the fables would contain elements from kabbalah, an esoteric mystic offshoot of Judaism which counts Madonna and other Hollywood stars among its faithful followers.
Like the hit Harry Potter series by British author J.K. Rowling which follows the fortunes of a boy wizard, publishers hope Madonna's new books will also appeal to adults.
It is a stark departure for the Material Girl, who caused a sensation in 1992 with the publication of relationship, a coffee table book wrapped in silver foil that contained X-rated shots of the star with the likes of singer Vanilla Ice and model Naomi Campbell. The 44-year-old entertainer has attempted to tone down her raunchy image since the birth of her daughter Lourdes and her marriage to film-maker Guy Ritchie, the father of her son Rocco.
Her forays into film as an actress have met with mixed critical reviews
