From Two Bushes, One for the Books

Laura and Jenna Bush will make history next year as the White House's first mother-daughter duo to co-write a book. The two are writing a children's story, loosely based on their experiences as teachers, about a rowdy little boy who learns to love books.

This will be the first lady's first book, though publishers have chased her for six years. Instead of the typical manuscript auction, mother and daughter went directly to HarperCollins, which next month is publishing Jenna's nonfiction "Ana's Story," about a single mother living with HIV. They'll do the promotional rounds together next spring, said publicist Sandee Roston.

The as-yet-untitled picture book, aimed at kids 3 to 8, will be published in English and Spanish next spring with a first printing of 500,000 copies. The authors selected illustrator Denise Brunkus, best known for the Junie B. Jones series. The deal, brokered by Washington attorney Bob Barnett, calls for the publisher to donate $1 million in books to schools and libraries, and a portion of this book's profits to Teach for America and the New Teacher Project. The Bushes will donate their profits, after expenses, to the two organizations.

Does this give HarperCollins a leg up in the race for the first lady's memoirs? "I haven't the foggiest," said Roston.

LOVE, ETC.

· Expecting: Patrick Ewing Sr., 45, and his girlfriend, Washington native and former Sidwell Friends volleyball star Cheryl Weaver, who is in her late 20s and due to give birth in a few weeks. Mayor Adrian Fenty and several basketball stars were among the VIPs at a swank shower held last weekend in D.C. for the original Hoya superstar, newly signed as an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic.

· Born: A son, to rock star Jack White and his supermodel wife Karen Elson, in Tennessee on Tuesday, their rep said. The brains behind the White Stripes, who named his daughter Scarlett last year, dropped his color fixation to name the new lad Henry.

· Wed: Former Spice Girl Melanie Brown to producer Stephen Belafonte. . . all the way back in June. Why's she only telling us now? Her reps have not commented, but we assume she's been preoccupied by that messy paternity battle with Eddie Murphy. And no, no relation to Harry Belafonte.

Lights! Camera! Capital! A Starry Season in D.C.

It's the attack of the A-listers! At least three super-high-profile Hollywood productions will be stopping traffic and turning heads here in the busy weeks after Labor Day. First up: director Ridley Scott with "Body of Lies," a spy thriller based on the novel by our own colleague David Ignatius and starring Leo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. No word yet on whether the stars will be here -- but with D.C. filming expected to take most of September, we're feelin' hopeful. Eastern Market neighbors recently got a notice alerting them to the filming of a car-bomb scene -- just a movie, folks, don't call 911.

Then, in October: "Burn After Reading," a Coen Brothers production described as a screwball comedy about the CIA and starring -- really! -- George Clooney, Brad Pitt and John Malkovich. Alas, the local shoot will last only a couple of days, according to the D.C. film office. Still in flux for October or November: D.C. filming for "Eagle Eye," a Steven Spielberg-produced thriller starring It Boy Shia LaBeouf.

THIS JUST IN . . .

· VIP Lyme disease victims, unite! The news yesterday that President Bush was treated for the tick-borne ailment in '06 prompted a show of solidarity, via press release, from Daryl Hall of '80s hit machine Hall & Oates, whose own ailment was diagnosed two years ago: "Maybe it takes a person in power to draw attention to what all of us who have the disease are going through. The withholding of information for a year points out the confusing politics of the disease. Now, George Bush can feel our pain."

· As if the Hall of Fame wasn't enough, on Monday Cal Ripken will pick up another honor, as "special sports envoy" for the State Department, Reuters reports. The Iron Man shortstop will work to improve impressions of the United States overseas by visiting schools and hosting baseball clinics worldwide.