SOLVED Dystopia-like, 2 kids finding the truth about their city [s]

[Ensu]

At the end of schooling, the students were assigned jobs randomly. The girl got something to do with the underground pipes, which she hated. She wanted to work postal because she loved to run. Another boy got the job she wanted, and they both liked the other's job better, so they traded jobs.

There was a secret box that is passes from mayor to mayor. It was said to open when the right time comes. Somewhere along the line of successions the box was lost.

The town have s scheduled light-system of sorts. Lately it have been wonky, with the light flickering or going off before light-off time. Nobody went beyond the darkness. The people who did claimed that there was some sort of wall around the town.

The population was also facing food crisis and medicine shortage, among other problems.

The book version that I picked was hard-cover, I think. The book is mainly black, with a light bulb or something related to light on the cover.

(view spoiler)[Some time in the past, something happened that made the surface of Earth inhabitable. Selected people like doctors and newborn babies were sent into the specially made underground cave so that they can survive and reproduce. The scientists had calculated that the surface will be habitable in the future. They calculated the time and designed the mayor's box to open when the time comes.

The girl and boy found what was left of the box and work their way out to the surface. They then found a small opening that enable them to see their former town from above, and throw a scrap of paper into from above hoping someone will pick it up and can organize town-wide evacuation. (hide spoiler)]

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Ok Ensu--I remember this book too. :O) NO idea what it is, since I have a few thousand books in my house, plus a lot of books in my GR listing.

This IS a YR book, for anyone else that reads this.

I'll go out later (like Monday) and check and see if I can find it in my shelves--or at my daughter's house.

[Amanda]

That's this one: The City of Ember

It was made into a so-so movie, with Bill Murray as the Mayor.

[Ensu]

Yep, thats the one! Thanks a lot. :)

[Sue]

There's a sequel-The People Of Sparks.

[Jaina]

It's actually a four book series, if you really want to read them. They're good, but Ember's definitely the best (IMO).

[Ensu]

Thanks, for the help, everyone! I appreciate it. :)

I remember when I finished the book years back, it felt like there are more stories to be told. Glad to know its a series. Hope the sequels are as good as the first one. ^^