You Had Me at Hello World
You Had Me at Hello World by Rona Wang is a debut young adult novel published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 11, 2025. This 320-page book follows sixteen-year-old Charise “Char” Tang, a Chinese American teen who is eager to escape her small town. When she receives an invitation to a prestigious hackathon at MIT, Char seizes the chance to build an app and compete for a life-changing prize, all while navigating the complexities of first love and competition.
In this drama-packed narrative, readers will find Char teaming up with Khoi Astor, a talented coder who is already in a relationship with her camp roommate. As they work together, Char grapples with her feelings for Khoi amidst the pressures of the competition and the challenges posed by sabotage in the tech world. The story explores themes of romance and ambition within the context of a contemporary setting, making it a relatable read for those interested in literature and fiction, particularly in the realms of comedy and young adult drama.
Official synopsis Publisher
Jenny Han meets Silicon Valley in this drama-packed debut young adult novel about a Chinese American teen who navigates a high-stakes coding competition, sabotage, and first love when she’s invited to a summer hackathon at MIT.
Sixteen-year-old Charise “Char” Tang is desperate to ditch her dead-end small town. So when she’s invited to a highly selective hackathon at MIT, she seizes the opportunity to jet across the country, spend the summer building an app, and maybe even snag the top prize—a golden ticket to a new life.
When she arrives, she teams up with Khoi Astor, coding wunderkind and creator of last year’s biggest mobile game. Khoi, who has soft eyes and a gentle smile. Khoi, who can make anyone laugh. Khoi, who is easy to fall for…and already dating her camp roommate. If only Char could reprogram her heart to forget about him.
As the competition heats up, so do things between Char and her teammate. But sabotage lurks around every corner, and she soon discovers that the glitzy tech world has a dark, dangerous underbelly.
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