Lolcats. Salsa dancing. Unrequited love. Tom Crosshill's smart and witty debut teen novel treads a colorful coming-of-age journey from New York City to Havana that will appeal to fans of books by Matthew Quick and Junot Díaz.

When Rick Gutiérrez—known as "That Cat Guy" at school—gets dumped on his sixteenth birthday for uploading cat videos from his bedroom instead of experiencing the real world, he realizes it's time for a change. So Rick joins a salsa class . . . because of a girl, of course. Ana Cabrera is smart, friendly, and smooth on the dance floor. He might be half Cuban, but Rick dances like a drunk hippo. Desperate to impress Ana, he invites her to spend the summer in Havana. The official reason: learning to dance. The hidden agenda: romance under the palm trees.

Except Cuba isn't all sun, salsa, and music. As Rick and Ana meet his family and investigate the reason why his mother left Cuba decades ago, they learn that politics isn't just something that happens to other people. And when they find romance, it's got sharp edges.

Coming of Age Story: After getting dumped on his sixteenth birthday, internet-famous “That Cat Guy” Rick Gutiérrez decides it’s time to trade viral videos for the real world.
Fish Out of Water: To impress the girl of his dreams, Rick follows her from a New York salsa class all the way to Havana, Cuba—a place he only knows from family stories.
Salsa Dancing Romance: He may be half Cuban, but Rick dances like a drunk hippo. He has one summer to learn the steps, win over the talented Ana Cabrera, and maybe even survive the process.
A Trip into the Past: The sunny streets of Havana hide a deeper mystery. As Rick and Ana dig into why his mother fled the island, they uncover a story of politics, poetry, and heartbreak.

The Cat King of Havana

The Cat King of Havana