SOLVED. YA or middle grade in a future where pollution and climate change have depleted the oxygen levels. Spoiler ahead. [s]

[Amy N.]

I read this between 1997 and 2002, but it gave off a seventies vibe to me. Pollution or climate change was causing all the plants to die, and I remember that all the front yards were overgrown with weeds because it was illegal to cut plants. The main character is a boy and I don't remember much about him except that he's good at growing plants, but there is one scene where his oxygen levels get low and his nails start to turn blue, so he takes an oxygen pill. (Like, that's not how that works, but whatever.)

He has a friend who is an athlete (I think a gymnast specifically), not because she enjoys it, but because athletes get a better kind of algae to eat. At some point the boy is recruited by a society that will put him and others to sleep while the climate worsens so they can wake up when it's better and build a new society. They recruit him because they want him to be a farmer. The book ends with him going to sleep.

The cover had a hand on it.

[Ayshe]

Is it The Missing Persons League?

Isn't the part about being put to sleep a spoiler?

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Ayshe is correct on the title. And yes, it IS a spoiler, so I'm going to take it out of the title of the thread and put a spoiler alert on.

[Amy N.]

Yes, that's it. And thanks for taking the spoiler out of the title. :)