UNITED KINGDOM. Kylie writes for children. 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. The first in a series of children?s books by U.S. 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 was officially launched by the 38-year-old at a book signing in London at the weekend.

World record breakers

Madonna?s pay-packet, Janet Jackson?s malfunctioning wardrobe, Hillary Clinton?s memoirs and Sigourney Weaver?s height all have one thing in common ? they?re world record breakers.Veteran pop singer Madonna supplants younger rival Britney Spears in the latest edition of Guinness World Records, winning the title of highest annual earnings by a female singer after she took home an estimated $50 million in 2004. Despite the relentless media coverage of her personal life, Spears is also unseated by another 40-something as the world?s most searched-for person and most searched-for news item on the Internet. She loses those top spots to pop diva Janet Jackson who also gets credit for the largest ever fine imposed on a broadcaster after one of her breasts was exposed live on air. The most wanted man on Internet search engine Google in 2005 was Hollywood heart-throb Brad Pitt, according to the star-studded 2007 version of the Guinness World Records book which went on sale on Friday.