Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands

In Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands, bestselling author Chris Bohjalian tells the poignant story of Emily Shepard, a teenage runaway surviving in an igloo made of ice and trash bags after a devastating nuclear meltdown claims her parents' lives. As the daughter of the plant's supervisor, Emily faces hatred and danger, leading her to flee to Burlington, where she navigates life through theft and a borrowed identity inspired by Emily Dickinson. Along the way, she forms a fierce bond with a young homeless boy named Cameron, but struggles to escape her past and the grief that haunts her. This evocative tale explores themes of loss, adventure, and the quest for friendship amidst catastrophe.