SOLVED. YA novel set in 2054(?) teens go to another planet via rocket. [s]

[Jonathan]

First of all, it's NOT The Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh.

I read part of this when I was a social worker in a school in the early 2000's. I remember the novel to have been published in the late 1980's/early 1990's, and that it was that author's last book. Female author.

Set circa 2054: crime-ridden urban area; group of teens living together in a some sort of compound. One of them wore a suit (bragged that it contained 10% wool). To solve over-population(?), groups were sent via rocket to other planets. This group was whisked away, out into some sort of deep sleep for the space journey, and then had to eke out an existence on the new planet. Unfortunately, the lad with whom I worked at the school was absent for much of the latter part of the novel, so I never got to finish it with the class.

[SamSpayedPI]

Was it a school assignment? Or something that one of the kids in the class was reading for fun?

[Jonathan]

SamSpayedPI wrote: "Was it a school assignment? Or something that one of the kids in the class was reading for fun?"

It was a school assignment; sixth grade.

[Kris]

Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes?

Quote from Google Books preview: "...And we've got to get you some new clothes." "What's wrong with these? This is a top-quality suit, ten percent real wool."

https://books.google.com/books?id=LA-...

[Jonathan]

Thank you! That's it!

I see that I erred as to the date; somehow thought the author died in the late 1980's/early 1990's, and messed up how aspects of the plot were arrived at.

Now I can read it in its entirety. Fifteen years later.

Thanks once again.

[Kris]

Great. Glad we could help, Jonathan.

I got lucky with a Google Books advanced search:

https://books.google.com/advanced_boo... > All of the words: wool | Exact phrase: ten percent | Books | English | Subject: science fiction