Eyes Open

Portugal, 1967. Sonia thinks she knows what her future holds. She'll become a poet, and together she and her artist boyfriend, Ze Miguel, will rise above the government restrictions that shape their lives. The restrictions on what Sonia can do and where she can go without a man's permission. The restrictions on what music she can enjoy, what books she can read, what questions she can ask. But when Ze Miguel is arrested for anti-government activities and Sonia's family's restaurant is shut down, Sonia's plans are upended. No longer part of the comfortable middle class, she's forced to leave school and take a low-paying, grueling, dangerous job. She thought she understood the dark sides of her world, but now she sees suffering she never imagined. Without the protection of her boyfriend or her family, can Sonia find a way to fight for justice? This poignant novel in verse follows a teen girl discovering how to resist tyranny and be true to herself.