Lunar Pioneers
by Robert A. Black

    LUNAR PIONEERS by Robert A. Black
    Category:  Science Fiction
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  7/1/08
    Publisher:  Windstorm Creative
    Reviewed by:  Allison Fraclose
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Thirteen-year-old Blair Kelly knows she should feel nothing but excitement about her family moving to the moon,
    where they can finally see her mother again in their new home on the Clementine Colony.

    Her Granddad reminds her that their ancestor, Olaf Summervold, trekked out into the west to make a new life for his
    family by building the Summervold farm, and Blair’s family is now doing the same thing. To ease her anxiety about
    the trip, Blair decides to keep a sort of diary by sending letters to her Granddad back on earth, in which she
    consistently compares her experiences with those of her pioneer ancestors.

    The journey is long and complicated, with many stops along the way. Blair finds a friend in the daughter of her
    mother’s colleague, and the two spend most of their journey in awe of their experiences. When their families finally
    reach the colony and start settling in, Blair’s brother, Tom, has a bit of difficulty adjusting, but Blair makes some
    effort to discover why she has decided to come to the moon, and what her contribution will be to her new
    homestead.

    Quickly, she joins a volunteer group that works with cultivating plant life on the lunar surface, and finds herself
    involved in some intriguing projects. When a large storm hits the family farm back on earth, Blair must draw on her
    own pioneer strength to deal with the silence of not knowing what has happened to her loved ones.

    Filled with thought-provoking details regarding the future of lunar travel and colonization, Black presents the reader
    with a realistic view of a futuristic time. Characterization is well done, and I felt like I really connected with Blair as
    she made her transition to her new home and life.