{"title":"April Showers","description":"April Showers is the founder and CEO of Afro Unicorn, a brand designed to remind women and children of color how unique, divine and magical they truly are. Multiple business owner and single mother of two, April started a movement of like-minded Black Unicorns through apparel and accessories in May 2019. In May 2022, she launched in Walmart as the first Black woman \u0026amp; first Black licensed brand in Party Supplies for a major retailer. The Afro Unicorn brand is now featured in stores nationwide with children's apparel, drink-ware, toys, and holiday merch. April's passion is to teach others how to develop their brands--with a goal to help everyone win. ANTHONY CONLEY is an artist and illustrator with a passion for designing fun, dynamic characters and developing artwork for top-tier companies that create entertainment and consumer products. After working as an art director for Neopets.com and as a senior art director for Nickelodeon Animation Studio, he is now an independent artist living in Paris, France, with his wife and daughter.Find Anthony online at anthonyconleyart.com.","products":[{"product_id":"a-magical-day-paperback","title":"A Magical Day - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUnicorn best friends Magical, Unique, and Divine are getting ready for a very special birthday party in this picture-book adventure. Celebrate your inner unicorn with the first book in the Afro Unicorn line!\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIt's Magical's birthday! She and her unicorn friends can't wait to celebrate at her magnificent party. 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Rhyme and rhythmic text paired picture clues help children decode the story.","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51452132131039,"sku":"9780593704158","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/T39CXqI83F9780593704158.webp?v=1790283133"},{"product_id":"afro-unicorn-the-land-of-afronia-vol-1-volume-1-hardcover","title":"Afro Unicorn: The Land of Afronia, Vol. 1: Volume 1 - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAfronia is known for being bright and colorful, but what happens when a disgraced unicorn wants to take the color away? Join unicorn best friends Divine and Unique as they journey to save Afronia in this all-new, action-packed graphic novel that celebrates joy, beauty, and of course, unicorns! \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"The brand, created by author Showers, has a cultural resonance that cannot be understated, and young readers will see important aspects of Black beauty and empowerment reflected in the characterization and storytelling of the Afro Unicorns. . . this appealing unicorn book has a significant underpinning of inclusivity.\"--\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhen Afro Unicorn creator April Showers realized that her favorite emoji--the unicorn!--was only available in white, she was inspired to create a more inclusive brand for children of color to celebrate how magical, unique, and divine they truly are. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWelcome to the mystical land of Afronia, where life is good and full of color. The Afro Unicorns can't wait to celebrate the annual Festival of Crowns. But on the way to the festival, Divine and Unique come across Castle Monotonic, which is home to the mysterious Madame Imperious who wants to drain all the color from Afronia. Madame Imperious has already started draining the color from a young Afrosaurus. It's up to Unique and Divine to save Afronia and the Afrosaurus. Otherwise, their magical land might be doomed . . . FOREVER! \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis full-color graphic novel is great for young readers beginning their graphic novel journey and graphic novel enthusiasts alike. 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Dreama is bilingual, and readers will enjoy learning phrases with her. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhen Afro Unicorn creator April Showers realized that her favorite emoji--the unicorn!--was only available in white, she was inspired to create a more inclusive brand for children of color to celebrate how magical, unique, and divine they truly are. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"The brand, created by author Showers, has a cultural resonance that cannot be understated, and young readers will see important aspects of Black beauty and empowerment reflected in the characterization and storytelling of the Afro Unicorns. . . this appealing unicorn book has a significant underpinning of inclusivity.\" - \u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal \u003c\/i\u003efor \u003ci\u003eAfro Unicorn: The Land of Afronia (vol. 1)\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51453001629919,"sku":"9781524885984","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/4Tt2P_KMQH9781524885984.webp?v=1790297671"},{"product_id":"baker-acted-three-days-in-a-madhouse-paperback","title":"Baker Acted!: Three Days in a Madhouse - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBaker Acted! Three Days in a Madhouse\u003c\/em\u003e is a true story about the Florida mental health system. When April Showers stops by Ivy Green to retrieve a copy of her psychosocial report that had been assessed a few days prior, she is wrongfully Baker Acted and committed to the hospital for three days. During those tumultuous three days of frustration, no one on staff takes the time to understand her feelings, and what's worse, inside she meets others who are similar situations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e A poignant statement on the sorry state of mental health services in the United States, as you read Baker Acted! Three Days in a Madhouse, you can imagine the hopelessness, the desperation, and the despair that a place like Ivy Green brings to its patients. See the world through April's eyes and receive a first-hand account of what it's like to be prisoner in a madhouse.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eApril Showers lives in Central Florida with her emotional support dog, Dottie. She is recently divorced after 29 years of marriage. Her husband could not take the extreme highs and lows of her bipolar disorder. In extreme highs of mania, Showers would be uncontrollable, and in her dark times of depression, she would not get out of bed for days and neglect herself and her household.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Showers was diagnosed at the age of 45 with Bipolar I disorder and put on medication. The youngest of seven children, she believes mental illness runs in her family, as two other siblings suffer from schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Showers suspects that her father was an undiagnosed bipolar who self-medicated with alcohol.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Showers has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a master's degree in Public Administration. She was a school teacher for over 15 years before being fired from her teaching job due to a manic episode. She currently works as a peer counselor for the local behavioral health center. She absolutely loves her job and finds it extremely rewarding.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Showers has a good support system of family and close friends who tell her when they see signs of the illness creeping in. 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