Hip Hop Superstar Big Sean Endorses Young Adult Novel, Sparkle, as a "Must Read"

The Music in Me Foundation International is proud to announce its first young adult novel, Sparkle, as part of the organization's "Rap" on Reading Series. We are honored to have hip hop's chart topping recording artist, Big Sean's, stamp of approval through his insightful foreword. The novel was written by Michele Amira, who was 11 years old when she learned to read and write. She was only 14 years old when she was contracted to write Sparkle—the same age as Diamond in the story. Sparkle is based on the young author’s own struggles and victories, fighting a rare life threatening illness, confronting bullying, dealing with school and just being a teen. Profits from Sparkle will be contributed to Beauty & Quality of Life, a program she created and oversees to help other teens like herself (and Diamond) who battle life threatening illnesses. Big Sean is also the ambassador of this meaningful program.

Sponsored by Office Depot and the Sean Anderson Foundation, Michele recently joined Big Sean in Detroit on a school tour to deliver thousands of her books, The Bully Blues (another "Rap" on Reading Book) and school supplies to public school students to make back to school a positive experience. Today, Michele is a professional hip hop journalist, radio DJ, stand-up comedian and student. She is also vegan dancer with a love of hair products, hoop earrings, hip-hop, and New York pizza! When she’s not writing about what’s hot in hip hop, she’s talking about it on her hip-hop radio show, The Mecca, at University of Maryland where she is an English major. She has been published in The New York Times, The Source Magazine, MTV’s Pardon My Blog, JVibe Magazine, Fran Drescher’s Cancerschmancer’s “We The Future” blog and other notable publications. She is the youngest filmmaker to be screened at The Festival de Cannes in France. She is also the recipient of the Spirit of Anne Frank Student Award and featured in Bethesda Magazine as one of the Nation’s Top Teens. Most of all, she loves to inspire others to “sparkle.”

"This is an important book for everyone to read, especially middle schoolers. It is fanciful and funny enough to stimulate their imaginations, compelling enough to make them want to keep reading, and real enough to touch their hearts." — Hip Hop Superstar Big Sean