“For once even Madonna seems uncertain how her new vocation as scribe and teacher fits into or builds on her pop identity. The awkwardness is palpable in Madonna’s second children’s book, Mr. Peabody’s Apples, a cautionary tale about ‘the power of words’ based on a kabbalah fable. Madonna has always demonstrated great faith in the power of word of mouth, but she’s never been what you might call articulate—methinks ‘Express Yourself’ was not about writing sonnets. But Apples tests the power of words carefully chosen: not in the text, which is dull, uninspiring, and poorly punctuated, but in the marketing that surrounds it.”