Looking for young adult book about an underground city from the 1970's

Question

I think the name of the textbook was "Odyssey". The book was published separately because I found it in the library. Something happened on the surface of the Earth so everyone lived underground. I remember that everyone was hairless. A boy found his way to the surface and found that it was okay to live upon and then he found other humans living there. I think I read it in 1973.

Answer 1

This is a very common theme for YA literature, but there are some widespread classics.

• City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, well known and not much to say (except they do have hair!)

• Outside by Andre Norton, girl escapes domed city and finds she has telepathy

• Journey Outside by Mary Steele, families live on rafts floating on an underground river

• And All Between by Zilpha Snyder, complex story with multiple groups, girl finds she has telekinesis.

• This Time of Darkness by Helen Mary Hoover, rich people live at the top of the city and can still see the sky. Protagonist meets a boy from the outside.

• The City Under Ground by Suzanne Martel, the city of Surreal finds there is another city stealing their electricity

• Dark Universe by Daniel Galouye, basically Quest for Light.

I seem to recall one of these re-does the Allegory of the Cave, which I mention simply because you noted something about Odyssey.

Answer 2

The book is called "The City Under Ground" by Suzanne Martel published in 1964. Thank you Maury Markowitz for your help in finding this book. I also found it by combing through different book lists on Goodreads.