Polly Ester and Rapunzel Rose, the main characters of “Journey to Fantasiaplasia,” “dream the same dream” and play together in their imaginations.Two University alumni and a Mississippi State College for Women alumna wrote, illustrated and published the children’s book in May 2009.”Journey to Fantasiaplasia” is the first book in the series about the characters.Christine Belaire, University alumna with an education degree and co-author of “Journey to Fantasiaplasia,” said the book encourages children to explore creativity and imagination.”It helps them take everyday objects and turn them into fantasy,” Belaire said. “Kids need to pretend again. What we see kids doing is only half the story. What they are doing in their minds is the beauty of childhood.”2009 University alumnus Alonzo Felix illustrated the book and said he was drawn to the project because of the interaction between reality and fantasy.”Journey to Fantasiaplasia” is still a grassroots movement, according to Felix.”Every kid we’ve shown it to has absolutely loved it. They really seem to like the full-page, full-color illustrations with lots of details,” Felix said.Children aren’t the only people who will enjoy the book, Felix said. Adults will also find it entertaining and interesting.”I think the books help adults get in touch with their inner child and get the child in touch with their inner adult,” Felix said.Belaire said she has always been interested in children’s books. Even as an adult, before she had children of her own, she collected children’s books.”I had this idea for a kid’s book and I created the characters and started writing the storyline while I was pregnant with my daughter, and she is five-and-a-half now,” Belaire said.Though she had a story idea, she did not know what to do with it, she said.When Belaire was a doctoral student at Mississippi State University with Sacky Holdiness, the book’s co-author, she decided to send the story idea to Holdiness, who put verse to the story.”She makes my story characters come to life through verse,” Belaire said.Though the process has been long, Belaire said it was always an entertaining one.”It was never work,” Belaire said. “We’ve enjoyed every second. Who can say that about their work?”Polly Ester and Rapunzel Rose, the main characters of the book, were inspired by children around Belaire, both today and in her childhood.”The inspiration for the name Rapunzel Rose is a combination of the beloved fairy tale and the name of our Boston Terrier, Rose Hilton,” Holdiness said on the publisher’s Web site. “Polly Esther is a derivative of the popular material my mom, Polly, sold at The Fabric Center, a cloth store she owned in Waynesboro, Mississippi, back in the ’50s and ’60s.”The second book, “Halloween Haunting,” is in the illustration phase and the third book, “Colorado Caper,” is in the writing phase.Caitlin Krieger, clinical laboratory science junior, said she would be interested in reading the book to her 2-year-old son.”Finding fun ways to inspire creativity and imagination is important at his age,” Krieger said. “I would recommend the book to friends because the illustrations are a delightful way to send young children into the fantastic depths of dreamland.”The authors and illustrator will be participating in the Louisiana Book Festival on October 17, where they will have copies of the book on sale.—-Contact Catie Vogels at [email protected]