Sarasota's Suncoast View Interviews Henry's Tech-Free Trip Author Michelle Zofrea with Mother-in-Law and Author Brenda Zofrea
June 17, 2025 - DefenderShield COO Michelle Zofrea and her mother-in-law Brenda Zofrea appeared on local ABC7 news station (WWSB) to talk with the Suncoast View morning show about their passion for keeping kids safe. Both Michelle Zofrea and Brenda Zofrea wrote children's books that seek to help kids understand two completely different, but important children's health and safety topics: technology use and sexual abuse.
“Our books address two very important topics that parents everywhere grapple with; how to keep their children safe from sexual abuse and abduction without scaring their child, and how to help protect children from the “invisible energy” and other negative impacts of electronic devices while balancing the positive benefits of digital technology," Brenda Zofrea said.
Michelle Zofrea is the co-author of DefenderShield children's book "Henry's Tech-Free Trip: A Family Adventure," that teaches important principles of moderating digital device use and screen-time while following Henry and his family on a fun weekend camping trip. The other co-author, Kylen Ribeiro, is the CEO of DefenderShield. Her family was the inspiration behind the story and the characters.
Brenda Zofrea is the author of "Let's B Safe," a fun-to-read rhyming text that helps teach children how to recognize some of the most common lines and lures used by predators, and how to react in a safe way to keep their bodies safe from sexual abuse and abduction.
In the interview, Brenda and Michelle Zofrea discuss their shared mission to empower and protect children through their respective books. They both suggested that the books can be read with parents or other family members to help reinforce the messages for the whole family.
The conversation wraps up with encouragement for parents and educators to use these resources as tools for raising confident, aware children in today’s complex world.
Tune in to watch the full interview below, where Ribeiro and Zofrea delve deeper into the book’s creation and its vital message for children navigating the challenges of the digital era.
Video Credit: WWSB ABC News Channel 7 Suncoast View
To dive deeper into the book or make a purchase, visit this link: www.henrystechfreetrip.com