The Stellar Family Chronicles

By Scott Pearson

Strangely enough, Drake answered everything before it could be asked; but sometimes, the answers were more confusing than revealing.
Drake turned to Pat and Maggie and whispered, "I can… visualize your questions. That's the best answer I can give you. Your language does not have the words to explain it."
Maggie looked at Pat. Her look said Our language?

The Stellar Family Chronicles follows the story of siblings Maggie, Pat, Lucy and Tommy.
When their cousin Drake comes to visit from Alaska, The children are in for something of a big surprise.
Drake is actually a hybrid alien human from the moon of Ganymede. Now the siblings have adventures aplenty
as they take a trip through space to Drake's home moon. The cousins are soon hurtling through space on their way to Ganymede but as they arrive, they are immediately immersed in a grave situation as an alien race attack from a nearby planet. Can Drake and his brother Robbie save the cousins and get them back home to Earth before disaster strikes?
With a clear demand for books within this genre, I believe that it will appeal to a wide
range of younger readers who will love the characters and their adventures on another planet.
This children's Sci Fi adventure is great entertainment for ages 8 years to sixteen years.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Feb 13, 2024
• ISBN: 9798350944723

Scott Pearson

Formerly a magazine publisher and a father of three grown children and a grandfather of six; Scott James Pearson has entertained children with imaginative, adventure stories for decades. The Stellar Family Chronicles is a collection of the adventures of Stellar family children as they journey through space and time.

Book preview

Drake The Great

Book One

The Mysterious Drake

— I —

Gather around the fireplace, kids, Mom called out as she tossed a fresh wooden log into the fireplace.

The basement of their brick colonial-style home had recently been remodeled from — what seemed like — a four-room, underground cave into an open playroom. It no longer felt cramped and was now, in fact, the best room in their entire house.

Hurry up! Dad has an announcement he’d like to make.

She could hear the quick, stomping sounds of her children’s feet on the floors above her as they scrambled down to the basement.

Hey Siri! She called out to her phone which lay on the fireplace mantle. Play some Mozart.

The phone did not cooperate.

I didn’t get that, Cate, the female-sounding, computerized voice replied.

Hey Siri! Play some Moz— Mom began again, just as Lucy, her younger, eight year-old daughter, stomped loudly down the stairs.

I still did not get that, Cate, Siri stated matter-of-factly.

Mom tried again, Hey Siri, play som— but was quickly interrupted.

What’s up, Mommy? Lucy asked impatiently.

Shhhh, Lucy!

I did not get that, Ca— Siri repeated.

Quiet, Siri!

There is no need for such a tone, Cate, Siri said. She almost sounded hurt; almost.

Mooommm!

Hold on, Lucy. Hey Siri. Play Symphony No. 40 in G Minor. Much to her surprise, the classical music — usually soothin — thundered from the speakers. She had to yell over the blaring sound, AND LOWER THE VOLUME!

The music settled down at a comfortable level and Lucy’s mom breathed a sigh of relief; Mozart had a calming effect on her.

She savored the music for no more than four seconds before her three other children drowned out the sound — with their own running stomps — as they scurried down the basement staircase.

— II —

So where’s Dad? Asked her ten year-old son, Patrick. I thought you said he was going to make an announcement.

He is. He’ll be here in a minute, Mom told Pat (whom you should never call Patrick). He preferred Pat, and was never shy in letting you know, in case you ever made that mistake.

Can I come back when he gets here?

No, Pat.

Mommy, can I play with my toys? asked Tommy, her youngest son, who was six. He had been eyeing the colorful cars which stood on one of the bookshelves lining the walls of the renovated basement.

Yes, honey, go ahead.

Yaaaay! Tommy exclaimed as he ran over and grabbed a bright yellow excavator truck. He quickly sent it racing down the golden oak, hardwood floor. It sped onto the corner of an oriental rug and launched into the air — like from a ramp — straight into the side of a bookshelf; leaving a dent in the wood.

TOMMY!

Sorry, Mommy.

The room went silent as they all waited for Dad to come down.

Maggie, at 12 years-old the eldest of their children, sat down on the sectional couch opposite the large, flatscreen TV. She picked up the remote that lay on the coffee table and instantly put it back down. Mom would not have appreciated hearing the TV right then; Mozart was on.

As Symphony No. 40 in G minor came to an end, Mom started losing her patience; she knew her children’s good behavior was only temporary as they awaited their father. She was about to call out to him when she heard his loud footsteps on the floor above.

Dad was a giant of a man and did not have much control over — nor desire to control. — his large body. Therefore, his foot stomps were the loudest of the entire family! Mom was sure the stairs would buckle under his immense weight. Thankfully, the stairs survived to fight another day.

Oh, good, said Dad, You’re all here.

What’s up, Dad? Pat asked impatiently.

Yeah, Daddy! What’s up? Tommy repeated; parroting his older brother. Dad smiled at his youngest son; what a wonderful age that was.

I have some good news for you all. Your Aunt Trish will be visiting from Alaska with your cousin, Drake.

The children looked at each other curiously. Maggie was the first to ask what they were all thinking.

Who’s Drake?

— III —

Drake is your cousin, Mom told the children. You’ve never met him before, but you’re going to like him. He’s very nice.

Maggie noticed that, as she spoke, Mom gave Dad a very strange look. Maggie did not know what it meant but Dad gave Mom an equally weird glance; something was definitely up!!

What? Maggie asked her parents; meaning What was that look?

They did not know what she was talking about.

What? They both asked simultaneously.

Nothing, she said; resigned to the fact that it was not worth the effort. Forget about it.

Is he old? asked Lucy.

Drake is 25.

Oh! He IS old!

It was Tommy’s turn to interrupt.

Does he have a beard? And then, muttering to himself, I bet he has a beard.

Tommy! Mom snapped. He does not have a beard. He’s 25.

Which is exactly why he should have a beard, mom, Lucy said. Old people have beards, just like Dad, and Drake is old. Where’s Drake’s beard, hmmm? She put her hands on her hips.

Ok! Quiet everyone, Dad seemed mad. I’ve had enough. Aunt Trish and Drake. Visiting next Thursday. Staying for two weeks. Taking them to the museum in Washington D.C. Meeting over.

Dad left before the stunned room could react. If a mic had been involved, he would have dropped it; no doubt.

— IV —

Everyone had gathered in the foyer to welcome the Alaskan branch of their family tree. Mom insisted they dress up for the occasion, so they all looked nice, but the children’s behavior was less than ideal.

Maggie looked bored, Pat was restless, and Lucy kept messing with the iRobot Roomba; their own robotic servant who specialized in vacuuming and nothing else.

Stop, scissor fairy! She commanded the robot vacuum as it slowly creeped past her foot on its never-ending mission to keep the floor dust-free. It did not stop.

Their youngest boy, Tommy, was actually behaving well. He was sitting on a stool in the foyer coloring with his crayons.

We have guests coming, Tommy, said Nana. Nana had served the family for many years as teacher and governess. They simply adored her. She was strict, but fair. Put those crayons and that paper down.

DING! DONG!

The guests were here.

Come in! Come in! Nana said as she opened the front door.

The children watched in anticipation as Aunt Trish walked through the door. Maggie last saw Aunt Trish several years prior and remembered her unusually youthful appearance. She was shocked to see Aunt Trish had not aged a day since that time.

Closely following Aunt Trish was the 25 year-old cousin they had never heard of before, Drake. He was tall, with black hair and dark eyes, and wore very fancy clothing. It was good they had all dressed up.

Kids, say hello to Aunt Trish, and your cousin, Drake, Dad said and then introduced the kids. Drake, these are, Maggie, Pat, Lucy, and Tommy.

Everyone said hi.

The kids had questions they wanted to ask Drake. Pat wanted to know why they had never met him before; Maggie was wondering why Drake and Aunt Trish looked so young for their respective ages; Lucy had lost sight of the scissor fairy Roomba and was curious where it went; and Tommy was dying to ask Drake if he wanted to play with him and his toy cars.

Before any of them could voice their questions out loud, Drake turned to each of them — in order, Pat, Maggie, Lucy, and Tommy — and answered, I am not sure. It must be our good diet. It’s under the velvet ottoman. And, yes, Tommy, I would.

Their jaws all dropped down to the floor in shock.

— V —

Throughout the entire ride to the nation’s capital, the children attempted to ask Drake some questions; each of them had their own reasons.

Pat and Maggie wanted to figure out how Drake could answer questions that were never asked; Lucy needed an answer as to why Drake did not have a beard despite his advanced age; and Tommy was unsure where his red toy car went.

Strangely enough, Drake answered everything before it could be asked; but sometimes, the answers were more confusing than revealing.

Drake turned to Pat and Maggie and whispered, I can… visualize your questions. That’s the best answer I can give you. Your language does not have the words to explain it.

Maggie looked at Pat. Her look said Our language?

To Lucy, he explained, We don’t have beards where I come from.

You don’t have beards in Alaska? Lucy asked him.

Drake seemed confused for a second about her statement, but quickly understood, almost as if he was reading her mind.

Oh, ALAAASKA. Yeah, no one has a beard on Ganym… uh, I mean, in Alaska!

What? Lucy was very surprised. Really?

Drake realized his answer was less than satisfactory, so he quickly moved on to Tommy, who had his hands between the minivan’s seat cushions.

Move your hand a bit to the left, Tommy. Your car is stuck between the crushed Dorrito chip and the three dried boogers.

Tommy pulled out the car and held it up triumphantly.

Thanks, Drake!

Maggie noticed her parents and Aunt Trish exchange that look again; the weird one

Reviews for The Stellar Family Chronicles

[Catherine Clement · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very imaginative and engaging. Descriptions of the Stellar children’s relationships with each other and with their parents (and other adults) is quite well done. Enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading it to my grandchildren.