Narrogin’s Michael Maxwell shares his singalong children's book success at R.W. (Bob) Farr Memorial Library

Narrogin’s homegrown musician met Narrogin Primary School students and families at the library on Thursday morning to dance and play to his two new sing-along children’s books. Born in Narrogin, Michael Maxwell travelled from Perth with his two children Emily and Tom to perform his self-published sing-along children’s books inspired by his family — Emily’s Walk and Tom’s Lullaby — at the R.W. (Bob) Farr Memorial Library. “I’ve always sung to the kids and often we’d come up with silly songs and that’s how all this came about,” he said. “The important part is creating a legacy for my kids and family, I wasn’t focused on the money. “I wanted to make it easy for parents to link the singing to the book, easily accessible, at their fingertips, all the time.” Mr Maxwell said he loved singing with the children and seeing how their families relate to his own. “I love it because the kids come up with so many ideas themselves,” he said. “They really engage with it, I love seeing them light up.” Emily’s Walk depicts a fun day inside when their outside plans are spoiled by the rain, reminding families to enjoy the magic of the moment. Tom’s Lullaby is based on his cheeky son, singing a tongue-in-cheek lullaby for jaded parents. Mr Maxwell said he decided to self-publish because that gave him full creative control over his project, including choosing illustrator Alison Mutton.