Machel first book "Boy Boy"

Machel Montano would give up music for an opportunity to read to children.

"This is a story to inspire kids and this project is so important to me that I would give up singing for a chance just to read to the children," said Montano at yesterday's launch of his new children's book, Boy Boy and the Magic Drum, at the National Library in Port of Spain.

Montano asked, "Everyone knows about Shrek, Spongebob, Barney and Dora the Explorer, but why not something about us?"

He added, "We need to celebrate who and what we are. This book is about our culture, steel pan and our rainbow people. This is not a story about my life but everybody's lives." Read More or listen to Magic Drums