Belle Song didn't really want to leave overcrowded Earth, but she kept quiet. Nobody expected her father to be made redundant before they'd even settled into the Martian city. Farming seems like a good option to Belle's parents, out in the open terraformed land near Mount Olympus. But the isolation and dust may be more than poor Belle can bear. Not to mention the two species of civilised aliens who also live here, the annoying boy at the nearest farmstead, and the occasional threat from hybrid wolves or organised water raiders.

Saying too much would ruin the excitement but suffice to add that Belle has a household robot Melody to follow her instead of siblings, and she still has to go to school, though she thinks the farming community emphasis is a real drag. Each chapter ends with a page from Belle's diary as she summarises her thoughts about the day, which is good for a class or a family read. More than one disaster or danger gets chronicled and some other issues we face today are brought to the fore in a different way, such as discrimination and pollution.

Young readers can learn a tremendous amount and the youngest can skip over the astronomy or desalination details and just follow the action. With this in mind, I would recommend REDWORLD: YEAR ONE for anyone who loves reading young adult literature, even young advanced readers. I like that Belle and a classmate are expected to give a presentation on a screen, just as young adults will be expected to learn for college or work.

Each chapter begins with a little illustration of red rugged land to remind the reader of the exotic location. The book is divided into several parts and before each one is a full page illustration. Tomislav Tikulin from Croatia is the creative artist who brings these adventures to life. The author, A.L. Collins clearly has an appreciation for science fiction. I recommend this read to anyone who wants to learn as they find adventure and make friends. In fact, I am looking forward to reading the next in the new Redworld series.