"Stix or Stix 2.0, as I call him, is the heart of this whole book. He's a gray lion in a world of golden lions. He doesn't look like everybody else, he doesn't roar like everybody else, and honestly, at the start, he doesn't even see himself as a leader. But don't get it twisted, this isn't some slow, quiet little story. There's a storm, there's a hyena trap, there's a rival lion named Raka who thinks he runs everything, and there's Tippi the mongoose who's basically comic relief and my favorite character to read out loud. It's a fun, exciting ride, and kids are going to want to flip back to the beginning the second they finish it.

But underneath all that, yeah, I connect with Stix a lot. I've been the guy who was doubted, traded, counted out; quieter than a lot of the noise around me, even in a game where everybody expects you to be loud to be respected. Stix taught me something I already knew deep down: you don't have to be the loudest voice in the room to be strong, and you don't have to look or sound like everybody else to lead.

I wanted to create a story that helps kids understand that being different isn't a weakness, it's a gift. Stix discovers that when his family needs him most, courage comes from believing in who you are. That's the message. But I didn't want to hit kids over the head with it. I wanted them to have fun getting there.

Through my Lion Heart Foundation, I've met so many young people looking for confidence and purpose, and Stix is my way of talking to them. Greatness isn't about attention or popularity or who's the loudest, it's about your character, your heart, and what you do when people are counting on you.

If a kid finishes this book laughing, a little on the edge of their seat, and also feeling more confident in who they are, THAT"S EVERYTHING! That's Stix's story. And honestly, it's mine too." -Micah