Rating: 
Summary: Very pretty book with interesting, quirky story.
Review: I'm not sure if this book ever would've been published if Madonna wasn't Madonna, first of all. But, that being said, "The English Roses," about a clique of fun, young girls who resent someone new and pretty in their class rather than getting to know her, is a pretty charming, well-told story. And the illustrations are absolutely beautiful.The best, most original part of the narrative were the interjections made by the storyteller to her audience. Occasionally interrupting the flow of the story (but not to the book's detriment), Madonna will write to her readers, "Don't interrupt. I'm trying to tell you, silly," and other interjections like that. All in all, I'd let my eight-year-old cousin read it. And I didn't mind flipping through the pages myself.
Rating: 
Summary: Madonna is better at singing
Review: Nice theme, bad story. Madonna is better at singing than she is at writing. The narrator of the story couldn't possibly be more patronizing -and he (she) even tries to be funny! Leave it to the characters to be the funny ones. As for the illustrations, eventhough the illustrator has tried to portray every race possible, he forgot a simple detail: not all girls are beautiful and skinny. Again, the picture of perfection is rubbed on our daughters noses, like they don't go through a hard enough time in the middle school years to accept themselves and fit in. (...)
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly intelligent children's book
Review: I have been a fan of Madonna since I was 12. When she brought this book out, I obviously purchased it, and was pleasantly surprised with the amount of emotion behind the story. I can personally relate to the Character of Binah, as a lot of us can. Creatively usefull to teach and demonstrate to children, the importance of morals.Also a nice stroy for children to read, and think about. Madonna always liked to provoke thought in her work!, and she has succeeded again! I look forward to reading her future books
Rating: 
Summary: not true about cashing in
Review: to correct what "Sad" wrote: Madonna will be donating the full profits of this book to an organization. It states this along the credits after her list of thank yous. onto the book: i found it charming & the illustrations are perfect for kids and adults to love. the story is simple enough where you can have a nice chat with your little one once you both read it. it teaches about being envious & friendship & compassion. a darling book for kids..and big kids :)
Rating:
Summary: Madonna delivers!
Review: My kids loved the book. They related to the feelings of envy and jealousy, as well as being ostracized. My daughter perticularly loved the art work, and as a parent, I enjoyed the style choice madonna made in reference to the way she directly speaks to the reader. Kids love that!
She has this dad's vote!
Rating:
Summary: Forget Madonna Wrote It - It's a GREAT book!
Review: Madonna is certainly a multitalented person. And I'll admit I originally ordered this book mainly out of curiosity. I was not disappointed though. It arrived today and the illustrations are gorgeous (though the book doesn't seem to give any credit to the illustrator - which I thought was odd - leading most to assume that Madonnna illustrated it, which she did not apparently). They story has a very nice moral of overcoming jealousy. It teaches not to judge others before knowing them - or walking a mile in their shoes. And it also celebrates the value of female friendship. It know when I was a little girl, my friends were everything - and many of them still are, nearly 30 years later! I'm sure that when she is old enough, my daughter will enjoy this book too - and my six year old niece is now going to get it for Christmas! The writing style is very personable and engaging. I'm not sure why but it reminded me a little of Eloise. If you're considering this book for the curiosity factor, don't hesitate to buy it any longer - it is worth it.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Lesson About Growing Up!!
Review: I have to admit, I am a huge Madonna fan. However, after American Life, I was a little disappointed in the direction she was exploring. Okay, back to the book....I sent my wife out to purchase the book and read it the next day. I first looked at the pictures and thought WOW!; then I read the book and I was suprised. The book is not about kids having wonderful lives, it's about how life for children really is. There is a girl that has to work her tail off because her mother has passed, and how the other children judge her without knowing her past. The other children only know that she is beautiful and they are jealous because of it. Then when they have the opportunity to switch places and see how the beautiful girl really lives her life without a mother, they decide her life is not BEAUTIFUL. This book can really teach a lesson about not judging someone until you get to know them. *****
Rating: 
Summary: Stardust
Review: The moral of a tale may be heart fell, but it will always get lost if the story is dull. The characters in Madonna's "The English Roses" lack all kind of detail and personality. They move in-group, they all do the same at the same time, they all even have the same dream! Remember Alice? Pinocchio? Even Simba or Harry Potter? Nothing of the sort. And it is not because of necessity in terms of plot or (lets put it like this) the representation of friendship, but only because it requires less imagination (and work) on the part of the writer. "The English Roses" is a modern variation of Cinderella, in which all the magic and fantastic elements have been removed (with the exception of -probably- the less exciting of all the fairies in the history of literature) rendering the story simply "ineffective".
The carefully designed Barbie-like drawings (made by a fashion artist) adds to the insipidness of a world already too plastic, too ready-made and too similar to an MTV/Grammy, etc. Awards celebration. I think the most important characteristic of any children's book should be to serve as a path, a "guideline" for imagination; but at some point it has to let go of it, run the risk and let the thinking grow by itself in the mind of the kid (and the same goes for adults). When stories are trying too hard to teach you a lesson (even a good one) it becomes a weakening experience. It is always a good marketing argument to say that what you are selling will teach something to people who buys it. But it is usually just wishful (or deceitful) thinking. It is almost impossible to reach success without becoming a "product" yourself, something that is produced and reproduced to exhaustion. However, when you get that far, it is in the artist's hands to try to escape this net. "The English Roses" is a book made with little effort and with too big a marketing structure. And it sinks under that weight. At this point I need to say that I like a good part of what Madonna has done so far; I just think it would be a better world that in which kids could stay somehow less exposed to the omnipresence of publicity, "unilateral culture" and the conditioning of the mind.
Paraphrasing the moral of this tale you not only should not judge a person for the way he/she looks, but you should not buy a book for the cover it has.
Rating:
Summary: A true Artist!
Review: What can you say about a Woman who has done everything.....everything BUT write a children's book......UNTIL NOW.....MADONNA does a fantastic job....both my niece's L-O-V-E-D the book. And i have to admit I liked it very much myself. GREAT WORK MADONNA!
Rating:
Summary: This is what all childrens books should be.
Review: The cornerstone of a good childrens book should be simplicity. This is an excellent childrens book with a moral tale. Madonna's narrative is funny and uplifting. I like the way she seems to be bossing her readers. This is the type of story to be read out loud and I think Madonna recognises that by adopting a funny but slightly bossy tone in her narrative. The pictures are brilliant but the story sells the book to me. In a world filled with childrens books stocked with inexplainable wizard tales and talking cars or tomatoes..it is good to come across a book about a real girl, dealing with real life issues and teaching kids a real life lesson. Bring on Mr Peabodys Apples, Madonna. I can hardly wait.
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