An interview with the author of Phoebe Goes to Earth

A while ago I wrote about a book I read called Phoebe Goes to Earth.  I wanted to know more about the lady who wrote the book, so I sent her some questions and she sent me her answers.  Here they are:

Why are some names in the book Earth names?  Is it because we wouldn’t be able to understand them in the alien language and we need Earth translations for those names?

Bridger, you are very smart to recognize that I used Earth names in the book for the alien character and planet.  When I wrote this story I wanted to use alien type names but realized it would make it really complicated for readers to say the names. And they would be a little confused with a book titled “2b*:Tx!x]#  Goes to Earth”.   So you are exactly right, I had to use Earth translations for the names.

Does Phoebe live during the time of the dinosaurs or did she travel back to their time.  If she lived during the time of the dinosaurs, is she still alive today?

Yes, Phoebe did live during the time of dinosaurs.  The Zionian people live for millions and millions of years and Phoebe is still alive today. Every 1 year on planet Zion is equivalent to 100 years on planet Earth.

Does Phoebe have anything like dinosaurs on her planet?

Planet Zion has many interesting creatures but none are as extraordinary as dinosaurs.  That is why Phoebe was so amazed by the wonderful animals.

I really love the pictures in your book because they are very imaginative.  Who did those pictures?

I am very glad that you like the pictures in the book.  When I first wrote this book I wanted a good artist friend of mine to draw the pictures, and when I got them to draw a sample, it was perfect but just a little too perfect.  I knew that it was not what I imagined in my head so I decided to make the illustrations myself.  I used construction paper, markers, color pencils and paints.  It was a lot of fun!

Are you going to write any more books about Phoebe?

Phoebe Goes to Earth is actually a children’s book series.  Phoebe has traveled to earth many times since the time of dinosaurs and has had tons of great adventures. The Phoebe Goes to Earth series will document her many travels.  I am currently working on Book 2 “The Ice Age” followed by Book 3 “Humans” and I hope to soon share these books with you as well Bridger.

Thanks, Demetrice Jefferson!

[Dad’s Note: For more information or to order Phoebe Goes to Earth, visit  http://earth2phoebe.blogspot.com.]

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Book Review: Phoebe Goes to Earth

A while ago a writer named Demetrice Jefferson sent me a book she wrote called Phoebe Goes to Earth.  That was really nice of her.  I like this book because it’s about two things I love: dinosaurs and space.

It’s about this alien girl from another planet that gets a space ship for her birthday.  Can you believe that– a space ship?  I’d love to get a space ship for my birthday, but I’m not sure I’d have room for it in our yard.  Space ships are really big and they make a lot of noise when they launch.  Me and West went to Florida last week to watch the space shuttle launch and it was awesome.

Her name is Phoebe– which is strange because that’s an Earth name. And her planet is named Zion, which is another Earth name.  Maybe those are just Earth translations of the names.  Maybe we here on Earth wouldn’t understand the names in the alien language.  Phoebe doesn’t look exactly human in the pictures, but she is humanoid with rainbow-ish color hair.

So Phoebe gets this space ship for her birthday and starts exploring and finds earth.  And here’s the neat thing: she finds earth right at the time of the dinosaurs.  Can you imagine that?  Getting a space ship and then finding dinosaurs?

The things that happen in this book couldn’t happen in real life.  For one thing, I’m not sure how a little alien girl could drive a space ship by herself.  Also, she could not have met a brontosaurus when she got to Earth because the brontosaurus never existed! Maybe an apatosaurus, but not a brontosaurus.  But that’s okay.  Books about stuff that could never happen in real live are actually my favorite kinds of books.  They’re less real so there’s more adventure and fun creatures.

Phoebe meets different dinosaurs on Earth and I’m thinking she must have traveled through space and time because the dinos she met lived in different periods.  Brachylophosaurus, triceratops, ankylosaurus, and t-
rex lived during the cretaceous period.  Stegosaurus, apatosaurus and pterodactyls lived during the jurassic period.

The thing is, this is exactly how I would explore– through space and time.  It’s a great book because it makes me imagine these worlds.  I’m going to send this writer some questions later and Dad will put her answers on my
blog.

[Dad’s Note: Many thanks to author Demetrice Jefferson for sending Bridger a review copy of Phoebe Goes to Earth.  The book is imaginative, well formatted, tapping the timeless appeal of space exploration and dinosaurs.  Since Bridger turns 10 this summer, he read and reviewed the book from the perspective of a big brother.  His younger siblings also enjoyed the book.  Phoebe Goes to Earth may be ordered at http://earth2phoebe.blogspot.com.]

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