Rani Choudhury Must Die

When two Bangladeshi Irish teens realize they’re dating the same boy, they team up to expose him at a regional STEM competition in this hijinks-filled romance by Jaigirdar (The Dos and Donuts of Love). Now that Meghna Rahman’s project has been accepted into the regional Young Scientist Exhibition (for the first time ever), she’s determined to beat perpetual attendee Rani Choudhury. Meghna has always had a rivalry with her childhood friend: her own parents constantly sing Rani’s praises, particularly for Rani’s language-learning app that centers Bangla, which is a big draw at the exhibition. After Meghna spots Rani canoodling with her boyfriend and fellow young scientist Zak, she confronts Rani. Upon learning that Zak has been cheating on them both, the girls collaborate on a new app for the upcoming European exhibition in Amsterdam that exposes cheaters. But brainstorming and coding in proximity forces them to realize that their relationship might go deeper than simple cordial rivalry. Meghna and Rani’s thinly developed backstory sometimes raises questions about their established relationship. Still, their humorous banter buoys the STEM-heavy plot, which deftly explores issues of race and gender in science. Ages 14–up. Agent: Uwe Stender, Triada US. (Nov.)