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“Sixteen-year-old Bibi Hossain finds herself traveling to Sylhet, Bangladesh—far from her Paterson, New Jersey, home—when her older sister, Halima, surprises everyone by announcing her plan to marry…Never mind the frosty reception from the future in-laws, there’s the added complication of Sunny’s very cute brother, Sohel, who keeps getting Bibi into trouble…The story has multiple strands, most of them deftly woven together, including some interesting snippets of history, such as the colonial history around tea plantations.”

– Kirkus Reviews

Always Be My Bibi

Written by Priyanka Taslim
Published by Salaam Reads / Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Bibi Hossain was supposed to get her first kiss this summer.

Too bad her father finds out and grounds her for breaking his most arcane rule: No boys until your sister gets married.

Just when Bibi thinks she’ll be stuck helping him at their popular fried chicken chain until school reopens, her oh-so-perfect older sister Halima drops a bombshell: she’s marrying the heir of a princely estate turned tea garden in Bangladesh. Soon, Bibi is hopping on the next flight to Sylhet for Halima’s Big Fat Bengali Wedding, hoping Abbu might even rethink the dating ban while they’re there.

Unfortunately, the stuffy Rahmans are a nightmare—especially Sohel, the groom’s younger brother. The only thing they can agree on is that their siblings are not a good match. But as the two scheme to break their siblings up, Bibi finds it impossible to stay away from the infuriatingly handsome boy.

Could her own happily ever after be brewing even as she stirs up trouble for her sister’s engagement—or is there more steeping at the tea estate than Bibi knows?

Primary ISBN: 9781665901130
Publication Date: June 2025
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (Paterson NJ), Bangladesh (Sylhet)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: 1st Generation

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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