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photo by: Emma Delk<\/p>\n
Retired banker Dave Yaeger holds the first book, \u201cPlaytime with Izzy,\u201d in his series \u201cThe Imaginary Friend Chronicles.\u201d<\/p>\n
WHEELING \u2014 Former WesBanco banker Dave Yaeger has launched a new creative endeavor in his retirement, transforming years of inspiration from raising three children into the children\u2019s book series, \u201cThe Imaginary Friend Chronicles.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first installment in Yaeger\u2019s seven-book series, \u201cPlaytime with Izzy,\u201d is currently available for children to explore the imaginative world of the main character, Izzy.<\/p>\n
Yaeger was first inspired to put pen to paper for the series during a visit to his great-niece, Isadora, in May 2023. He recalled being \u201cstunned and fascinated\u201d by her imagination while playing with her stuffed animals. <\/p>\n
\u201cI came back from the trip and said, \u2018There\u2019s a story there,’\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cSo I sat down, and over the next three or four months, I wrote all seven stories for the series.\u201d<\/p>\n
The books chronicle Izzy\u2019s adventures with her special ability to see and hear all imaginary friends. The first book focuses on a playtime session with Izzy, during which her imagination allows her to become a cook, waitress, doctor and nurse. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe story for the first book is inspired by the visit with my great-niece when I saw her playing restaurant and doctor,\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cShe even fixed a unicorn\u2019s horn and gave it a diagnosis out of nowhere. That inspired me to come back and write these stories.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Pages from \u201cPlaytime with Izzy,\u201d which is the first installment of \u201cThe Imaginary Friend Chronicles\u201d by Dave Yaeger. (Image Provided)<\/p>\n
The book is intended for children ages 3 to 8, with Yaeger adding that the illustrations by Marina Saumell can entertain children who may not yet be able to read. Children can try to spot the Easter egg on each page of the tiny mouse hidden in Izzy\u2019s house.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a little Easter egg for children to look for the mouse in the pictures,\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cEven if a child can\u2019t read, they can look for that mouse, and some are pretty hard to find.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the second story of the series, the mouse in Izzy\u2019s house will become her imaginary friend, Rose. <\/p>\n
\u201cEach book has a problem that has to be solved about imaginary friends, and in the second book, Izzy will learn the hard way that there are limitations to imaginary friends,\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cIzzy throws the ball to Rose, and it bounces through the kitchen and knocks a bowl off the counter. Izzy tries to blame Rose for it, but that doesn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Yaeger\u2019s 43-year-long career as a banker did not often require him to think creatively, he had plenty of stories from raising his three children to draw from while writing the series. Yaeger\u2019s daughter, Allison, serves as the inspiration for Izzy\u2019s neighbor Alsie, who enters the third book of the series with a dragon as her imaginary friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cStuffed animals serving as imaginary friends play a big role in the books, which goes back to my daughter Alsie in the third book,\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cHer bed would always be totally covered with stuffed animals growing up, and I always thought that there was a story in there as well.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final installment of the series will cover Izzy\u2019s journey to \u201cImagicity,\u201d where all imaginary friends and created and trained to become imaginary friends. This training includes learning how to become the type of imaginary friend a child wants, whether that be a mechanic or a giraffe.<\/p>\n
Although the books focus on the fun and excitement that imaginary friends can bring, Yaeger noted that there is a scientific basis behind the phenomenon, with \u201c30% of children\u201d having an imaginary friend. He outlined that there are two types of imaginary friends children typically have: an invisible friend, which is a more \u201cpeer-to-peer\u201d relationship, or a physical object that serves as the imaginary friend.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did not expect there to be so much research behind imaginary friends, and it was interesting to see what was out there,\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cThere is always newer research behind the phenomenon coming out, and researchers are starting to get even more into the technicalities and psychology of imaginary friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yaeger admitted that he could not remember whether he had an imaginary friend growing up, but believes that his first stuffed animal likely served as a substitute for one. He noted that adults often \u201ccarry on the tradition\u201d of imaginary friends for their children who cannot remember them. <\/p>\n
\u201cI was talking with somebody the other day about imaginary friends and they said, \u2018Well, I had an imaginary friend named Johnny that lived out in a shed in our backyard, but I didn\u2019t remember him until I got married and my great aunt gave me a present for my wedding from Johnny,’\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cIt\u2019s the adults that carry on the tradition of imaginary friends for the children.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though Yaeger dove into the psychology behind imaginary friends to create the series, he said the books are meant \u201cpurely for enjoyment\u201d and to serve as a \u201ccelebration of the wonder of imagination.\u201d<\/p>\n
Yaeger added that writing the series allowed him to exercise his own imagination during his retirement. He joked that creating the series has become a full-time job, as he hopes to have the seven books completed by summer 2026.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019ve got an ounce of curiosity, retirement is nothing to be afraid of because you finally have the time to work on the things that you want,\u201d Yaeger said. \u201cMy son told me after he read the book, \u2018You usually don\u2019t find the words imaginative and banker in the same sentence, but there are exceptions to every rule.’\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlaytime with Izzy\u201d is available for purchase on Amazon or Yaeger\u2019s website, daveyaegerauthor.com. Yaeger will also have copies of the book available at the local authors\u2019 tent at the Wheeling Arts Festival on Saturday, Aug. 2. <\/p>\n
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