What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I read this for my english class my senior year of high school ten years ago and can not seem to find anyone who knows what it is.

It starts with a teenage (I believe) boy who is in a forest. He has a knife (because he says guns make you overly confident) and a deck of playing cards for entertainment. He later happens across others in the forest and they find a large cave and create their own little civilization that lives in the cave. A government is put into place, marriages happen, and I believe even an uprising. Trust me, I know this really isn't enough to go off of. I don't remember how they even got to the forest. If you can identify this based off of what little I can provide, then you are truly a master of life.

What would you say the genre was? Fiction? Science Fiction?

I can't really remember any scientific elements to it. I'd say it was fiction. Not sure if it counted as dystopian since I don't recall why they're in that forest. Not sure if they were sent there or if it was a plane crash or ship wreck.

Do you remember what the cover looked like at all?

Any chance it's Tunnel in the Sky by Robert Heinlein? Seems like a long shot, but your description does fit the basic plot. Other major elements that you don't mention include:

1) All the characters are part of a high school survival class that's been sent to an unknown planet for their final exam.
2) They were supposed to be there for a maximum of a week or so, and when that time passes and they're not retrieved they realize something's gone wrong and they're on their own.
3) They form a large colony that has a number of conflicts, including a dangerous annual migration of a normally harmless rabbit-like animal.

Ring any bells?

Cynthia: Don't recall the cover at all. :/

Peter: I honestly don't remember but this does seem a very likely match. I'll have to find a copy of that to know for sure. Thank you!

I second Peter's suggestion of Tunnel in the Sky. It really fits with your description. The dangerous animal is a stobor.

My hunt for this book is continuing. I've checked my county's library database and several B&N's with no luck. I just want to read the first few chapters to see if it truly is a match.

Stacy--if you remember the ending, then in Tunnel in the Sky (view spoiler)[the kids finally get rescued after a couple of years. It turns out that there had been a nova/supernova that interfered with the wormholes that they used to place the kids for their "coming of age" challenge. The world had been selected as one that would be colonized at a later date, but since the kids had already started a civilization, things were sped up. Also, the male MC at the end becomes what is essentially a wagon train guide, leading colonists to various worlds. I remember that they used horses and dogs because animals didn't need "fancy imported from off-world" technology to keep them going. And as the MC is leading a new team of colonists, a dog runs under the belly of his horse, which was a reflection of something that had happened in the beginning of the book (hide spoiler)]. Hope that helps. (Sorry, my boxes of "H" books are still not unpacked, so I can't find my copy to give you a little more info.)

Okay, so since I wasn't able to get a copy, I went straight to the horses mouth. I friend requested my english teacher on Facebook and sent him a message with these same hints.

And the verdict is...

Tunnel in the Sky!!!!

You guys were all right and that makes you all winners at life! So glad to finally have this figured out! My brain can be at peace now. Thanks for everyone that suggested that and a Happy Thanksgiving weekend to you all!

Thread URL added to "why this book." Shelves added to shelving.