:The Adventures of Abdi

In a faraway land lived a boy named Abdi. He was an orphan raised by the great jeweler Eli. One day, Eli was commissioned to create a necklace for the queen. Once the necklace was completed, Eli gave it to Abdi for traveling to the royal palace and giving it to the queen on her birthday. The boy starts his journey across the desert. One night while sleeping, Abdi is robbed by two Bedouins, who steal the necklace and replace it with a live snake. Unaware of the theft, Abdi reaches the palace and meets the king where the snake is revealed inside Abdi's bag. Seeing this, the king gets really upset and orders the boy to be thrown in the dungeon.

Eli learns what happened to Abdi, and hurries along reaching the palace a week later. Because of his faith and honesty, he is able to convince the king that after placing the snake around the queen's neck, it would turn into a diamond necklace. As the queen places the snake around her neck, it slowly becomes a precious encrusted necklace. The king is impressed and releases Abdi, rewarding him and Eli. News about Abdi and Eli's magical necklace reaches the two Bedouins who had stolen the original one from Abdi. They reach the royal palace to see the king with a large bag stuffed with real snakes. However, the snakes were not charmed into jewelry and instead ended up frightening the poor queen. The enraged king orders them to be thrown in the dungeon forever.

{{see also|Madonna bibliography}}

File:Lang-Ali-Baba-Morgiana1.png" (pictured) inspired Madonna to write the book]]

In 2003, Madonna signed a contract with Callaway Arts & Entertainment for a series of five children's books.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/15/books/new-material-girl-madonna-a-mama-starts-writing-books-for-children.html|title=New Material, Girl: Madonna, a Mama, Starts Writing Books for Children|last=McKinley|first=Jesse|date=September 15, 2003|access-date=July 1, 2018|work=The New York Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229063222/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/15/books/new-material-girl-madonna-a-mama-starts-writing-books-for-children.html|archive-date=December 29, 2017}} She explained that each book dealt "with issues that all children confront... Hopefully there is a lesson that will help kids turn painful or scary situations into learning experiences".{{cite news|url=http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1088046776735|title=Madonna's new book is 'Jewish'|date=June 24, 2004|access-date=July 1, 2018|work=The Jerusalem Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040821150519/http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1088046776735|archive-date=August 21, 2004|url-status=dead}} The first three releases were The English Roses (September 2003),{{cite magazine|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/00s/2003/BB-2003-08-16.pdf|last=Hay|first=Carla|title=Artists Add New Voice to Children's Books|date=August 16, 2003|access-date=June 28, 2018|magazine=Billboard|volume=115|issue=33|page=5|issn=0006-2510}} Mr. Peabody's Apples (November 2003),{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4106824.stm|title=Madonna writing sequel to Roses|date=June 18, 2005|access-date=May 11, 2017|publisher=BBC News|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307001316/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4106824.stm|archive-date=March 7, 2016}} and Yakov and the Seven Thieves (June 2004).{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1480436/madonna-dances-with-fairies-and-wishes-for-animated-roses/|title=Madonna Dances With Fairies And Wishes For Animated 'Roses'|last=D'Angelo|first=Joe|date=November 14, 2003|access-date=January 7, 2018|publisher=MTV News|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704163048/http://www.mtv.com/news/1480436/madonna-dances-with-fairies-and-wishes-for-animated-roses/|archive-date=July 4, 2017}} All three charted on The New York Times Best Seller list.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/19/books/best-sellers-october-19-2003.html|title=Best Sellers|date=October 19, 2003|access-date=May 10, 2017|work=The New York Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527233854/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/19/books/best-sellers-october-19-2003.html|archive-date=May 27, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/30/books/best-sellers-november-30-2003.html|title=Best Sellers|date=November 30, 2003|access-date=June 28, 2018|work=The New York Times|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528001921/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/30/books/best-sellers-november-30-2003.html|archive-date=May 28, 2015}} Cumulatively, the three books sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.{{cite press release|url=http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/Madonnas-New-English-Roses-Book-Series-Launches-September-13-2007-769142.htm|title=Madonna's New English Roses Book Series Launches September 13, 2007|date=September 12, 2007|access-date=May 11, 2017|agency=Market Wired|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170607080150/http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/Madonnas-New-English-Roses-Book-Series-Launches-September-13-2007-769142.htm|archive-date=June 7, 2017|url-status=dead}} Callaway announced that the fourth book in the series, The Adventures of Abdi, would be released on November 8, 2004.{{cite press release|url=https://www.madonna.com/news/title/the-adventures-of-abdi-press-release|title=The Adventures of Abdi Press Release|date=November 20, 2004|access-date=July 28, 2018|agency=PR Newswire|via=Madonna.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060313160104/http://www.callaway.com/news_100804.htm|archive-date=March 13, 2006|url-status=live}}

Like her previous releases, Madonna was again inspired by a 300-year-old story by rabbi Baal Shem Tov that she had heard from her Kabbalah teacher, and wanted to share the "essence" of it. "The power of certainty is without limits", the singer wrote in the preface, referencing a line uttered by the character Eli to Abdi.The Adventures of Abdi, 2004, Acknowledgement, p. III In an interview with The Times, Madonna explained that she was inspired by the settings in "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" and other folk stories from One Thousand and One Nights, and wanted to create something in that genre. She included the Kabbalistic principle of certainty in the story with the idea that one can "overcome all obstacles and challenges in our lives if we perceive them as blessings and not curses; if we accept that they have arrived in our lives to teach us something valuable".{{cite journal|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1181-1344555_2,00.html|last=Wheatley|first=Jeane|title=In the Desert with Madonna|date=November 6, 2004|access-date=July 28, 2018|journal=The Times|issn=0140-0460|pages=18–19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102033000/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,1181-1344555_2,00.html|archive-date=November 2, 2012|url-status=dead}}

The Adventures of Abdi was published in a 32-page jacketed hardcover format.{{cite web|url=http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041108/sfm139_1.html|title=Madonna Launches The Adventures of Abdi in London|date=November 8, 2004|access-date=July 29, 2018|agency=PR Newswire|via=Yahoo! Finance|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041208072244/http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/041108/sfm139_1.html|archive-date=December 8, 2004|url-status=live}} Madonna collaborated with Russian illustrators Olga Dugina and Andrej Dugin, who created the images for The Adventures of Abdi. This was the first time they worked with a contemporary writer and it presented them "with several artistic possibilities—to show a desert, a palace, a small house where an old man was making jewelry". The couple took almost four months to finish the illustrations. They first decided on the "most interesting" portions of the story and gathered research materials from libraries and museums. They created rough sketches based on them; Andrej did the drawings while Olga painted them. The couple's favorite illustration was showing the queen trying out the necklace since they could show "a lot of strange characters. We could tell the story that was not told, and hint at something much broader than the text itself". The image for the book cover was the last painting finished by them.{{cite web|url=http://www.callaway.com/news_qa_dugins.htm|title=Q & A with Andrej Dugin and Olga Dugina|date=November 2004|access-date=July 28, 2018|publisher=Callaway Arts & Entertainment|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060313155835/http://www.callaway.com/news_qa_dugins.htm|archive-date=March 13, 2006|url-status=live}}

File:Oxford Street Selfridges Christmas Decorations 2017 3.jpg in London, where Madonna appeared to promote the release]]

Following the release of The Adventures of Abdi, Madonna made a number of promotional appearances. On November 12, 2004, the singer appeared at Selfridges, Oxford Street in London for a book-signing event. Only 250 of the fans queued up were chosen to get inside. Madonna read aloud from the book for thirty minutes, watched by thirty schoolchildren in audience.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/woman/celeb-news/madonna-fans-line-up-for-an-adventure-25886056.html|title=Madonna fans line up for an adventure|last=Scottin|first=Laura|date=November 12, 2004|access-date=July 29, 2018|work=Irish Independent}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4004579.stm|title=Madonna holds public book reading|date=November 11, 2004|access-date=July 29, 2018|publisher=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416082248/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4004579.stm|archive-date=April 16, 2016|url-status=live}} She appeared on British television chat show Richard & Judy, where she spoke about the inspiration and her writing process of the book,{{cite episode|title=Madonna Live|series=Richard & Judy|first1=Richard|last1=Madeley|first2=Judy|last2=Finnigan|network=Channel 4|date=November 22, 2004|time=05:00 pm}} followed by The Jeremy Vine Show.{{cite episode|title=The Jeremy Vine Show|series=The Jeremy Vine Show|first1=Jeremy|last1=Vine|author-link=Liz Barker|network=BBC Radio 2|date=December 17, 2004}} Madonna was interviewed by Pat O'Brien from The Insider on November 11, and she spoke about writing the book as a means for "giving children some kind of tools to deal with adversity in their life in a peaceful way".{{cite episode|title=Madonna, Unplugged|series=The Insider|first1=Pat|last1=O'Brien|author-link1=Pat O'Brien (radio and television personality)|first2=Brian|last2=Dakss|network=CBS News|date=November 12, 2004|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-unplugged/|access-date=July 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729070545/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/madonna-unplugged/|archive-date=July 29, 2018|url-status=live}} In December, Madonna promoted the book on the CBBC show Blue Peter.{{cite episode|title=Blue Peter Book Awards|series=Blue Peter|first1=Liz|last1=Barker|author-link=Liz Barker|network=CBBC|date=December 17, 2004|time=10:00 am}}

Publishers Weekly criticized The Adventures of Abdi for being Orientalist as it depicts "a cobra-bodied man play[ing] a flute [while] dark-skinned dwarves assist the milky-skinned queen and a gazelle sports a turbaned person's head". The writer believed that some readers could be troubled by its "harem-chic depiction of an exotic Middle East" and simplistic philosophy. The illustrations received positive feedback, with the reviewer calling them "sumptuous" and a mix between the paintings of Michelangelo and Hieronymus Bosch.{{cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-670-05889-1|title=The Adventures of Abdi: Madonna|date=November 22, 2004|access-date=July 29, 2018|work=Publishers Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410051724/http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-670-05889-1|archive-date=April 10, 2017|url-status=live}} Author Sandra L. Beckett complimented the illustrations in her book, Crossover Picturebooks: A Genre for All Ages. She described the images as "intricately detailed, richly textured" and believed it evoked the work of past artisans and masters.{{cite book|title=Crossover Picturebooks: A Genre for All Ages|last=L. Beckett|first=Sandra|year=2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-57701-7|page=96}} The book faced negative reaction from religious groups who believed that it was forcing children into accepting teachings of Kabbalah. Religious cult expert Rick Alan Ross opposed the release, saying it was just "more Kabbalah preaching disguised as a kiddie book... It's just pushing Kabbalah down the throats of innocent children'."{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.net/madonna/news/madonna.s-latest-book-infuriates-kabbalah-critics|title=Madonna's Latest Book Infuriates Kabbalah Critics|date=October 20, 2004|access-date=July 29, 2018|publisher=Contactmusic.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729070545/http://www.contactmusic.net/madonna/news/madonna.s-latest-book-infuriates-kabbalah-critics|archive-date=July 29, 2018|url-status=live}}

{{Portal|Children's literature}}

• Madonna bibliography

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.callaway.com/the-adventure-of-abdi/ The Adventures of Abdi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729112412/http://www.callaway.com/the-adventure-of-abdi/ |date=July 29, 2018 }} at Callaway
• [https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=239923&page=1 After Election, Madonna Tries to Stay Upbeat] by ABC News

{{Madonna}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adventures of Abdi}}

Category:2004 children's books

Category:American picture books

Category:Books by Madonna

Category:Children's fiction books

Category:Orientalism

Category:Religious controversies in literature