Mr B plans to go literary for the kids

Following in the footsteps of two pop stars whose time in the public eye should have expired long ago - Madonna and Geri Halliwell - LA Galaxy star David Beckham is all set to launch a series of children’s books. The youthful tomes, to be published in mid 2009, will be set in Becks’ football academies in Los Angeles and London:

“David is particularly pleased that The Academy has inspired a series of books that will bring children to reading through football.”

The Telegraph says that Beckham will not be writing the books himself, which is quite a relief, as a story with his irritating “you know” tic peppered throughout will prove wearisome for even the most studious of kiddies.