A Show for Two

Seventeen-year-old New Yorker Samina “Mina” Rahman dreams of escaping her hometown for greener pastures in Bhuiyan’s (Counting Down with You) heartwarming novel. Mina’s Bangladeshi Muslim parents feel that studying film at the University of Southern California isn’t a practical life plan. Determined to prove that her dreams have value, Mina enters the Golden Ivy Film Festival, a student film contest whose grand prize is much-needed scholarship money. Struggling to cast a lead for her project, Mina approaches Chinese and Spanish indie London film star Emmitt Ramos, who’s currently undercover at Mina’s school preparing for a role. Though they immediately dislike each other, Mina and Emmitt strike a deal: he’ll star in her film if she’ll be his N.Y.C. tour guide. As the duo traipse across the city, they slowly warm to each other, and Mina realizes that maybe there are things in her own backyard worth staying for. Bhuiyan artfully blends Mina’s eclectic Desi diaspora community and N.Y.C.’s racially diverse population with conversations about Hollywood’s overwhelming whiteness to explore themes of home and belonging. Witty banter, energetic characters, and a bustling setting make for a hopeful read. Ages 13–up. Agent: JL Stermer, New Leaf Literary and Media. (May)