Westborough Native Writes Acclaimed Children's Book

Whatever happened to Michael McCann? Well, it appears he may have moved in with the Murples in PurpleUmpkin land.

The Westborough native recently fulfilled a lifelong dream with the publication of his book PurpleUmpkin. The children’s book has received rave reviews, with Rhonda Carver of Apex Reviews giving it five stars and calling it a “highly recommended instant classic.” McCann told Westborough Patch that he wants children to love reading.

McCann, now of Delray Beach, FL, lived almost his entire life in Westborough before his recent move to Florida to be close to his ill parents. He graduated from in 1974 and embarked on a highly eventful life in his hometown.

Among his Westborough achievements, he said, was running his own commercial finance and real estate business. Once, he ran for selectman against his friend Dick Foster. Incredibly, he lost that election by just one vote.

As a member and former chairman of the Westborough Housing Authority, he recalled, he was instrumental in the project that created the Senior Center and the elderly affordable housing development on the former Rogers property on East Main Street.

He has warm memories of his childhood on Chestnut Street, calling Westborough “a little apple orchard town, just a wonderful place to grow up.” He recalled a farm called Apple Mary’s, where kids were allowed to use a rope swing that went out over a local pond. He said, “It was like a scene out of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.”

He had a lifelong love of baseball and remembers riding his bike down to the park on Saturday mornings to play. On one particular Saturday, he recalled, he played against his good friend Mark Fidrych, who pitched to him. Little did he know that Fidrych would one day pitch in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers. McCann added, “It makes me sad that Mark is gone now. He was like spring time. That was the energy he had.”

Even though he now lives in Florida, the children’s author said he still loves Westborough and comes here about 30 days each year. “It was a wonderful community. It still is. I was very lucky to live there and be a part of it all.”

As for his new passion for writing children’s literature, he hopes that through his books he can help teach children of the importance of reading. “Reading is the gateway to your dreams. Everything you do or dream of doing in life will come through reading,” he said.