Inova Loudoun Hospital in Leesburg hosted a book launch party Dec. 13. The children’s book “Beamer Visits the Emergency Room” is planned to become a series that aims to help children feel less afraid of hospitals and doctors.

Author Cindy Chambers modeled the characters after the medical director of Inova Loudoun’s emergency department, Dr. Edward Puccio, called “Dr. Poochio” in the book, and her nephew Kyle Mitchell, who owns Beamer in the book. All three attended the launch party.

At the party, twin sisters Haley and Nikki Granata, who both have Down Syndrome and have been hospitalized 13 times, took a liking to Beamer. They were nervous at first but spending time with Beamer got them to relax, their mother Julie said.