CARDINAL, Ann Hagman 1963(?)-

PERSONAL:

Born c. 1963; married; husband's name Doug; children: Carlos. Education: Norwich University, B.A.; Vermont College, M.A., enrolled in M.F.A. program.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Morrisville, VT. Agent—Nicholas Ellison, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates, 55 5th Ave., New York, NY 10002.

CAREER:

Writer. Vermont College of Union Institute & University, Montpelier, VT, national marketing director.

WRITINGS:

(With Lisa Alvarado and Jane Alberdeston Coralin) Sister Chicas: A Novel, New American Library (New York, NY), 2006.

Author of column,"Café con Lupe," in Vermont Woman. Author of novel, La Mongosta & the Pirate.

SIDELIGHTS:

Writing with Jane Alberdeston Coralin and Lisa Alvarado, Ann Hagman Cardinal published a joint first book, Sister Chicas: A Novel, in 2006. The writing team met as students at Vermont College and later decided to develop incidents in their own lives to portray the experiences of Latina girls growing up in the United States. Told in the voices of three different teens, Sister Chicas deals with incidents from "quinceaneras (Latina fifteenth-birthday celebrations), family conflicts, racial issues and teenage crushes," as USA Today contributor Mary Pilon noted. Cardinal authored the voice of Leni, a part-Puerto Rican girl with an attitude who finally accepts her Latina roots. Coralin wrote the voice of Taina, a very shy Puerto Rican girl who dreads her upcoming fifteenth birthday party, and Alvarado was the voice of Graciela, a Chicana daughter who tries hard to please her parents, but who must finally choose between what she sees as familial loyalty and her own opportunities to become a writer. The three young women meet weekly at a Chicago restaurant to exchange tales of their doings, just as the authors did while students. The narrative is peppered with Spanish words and phrases and the authors provide a glossary for these, as well as a section of recipes for the food the girls eat and talk about.

Sister Chicas received praise from critics for its depiction of adolescent Latina lives. Booklist contributor Gillian Engberg noted the "vividly detailed portraits of contemporary teen girls," and further called the debut novel "captivating." A Kirkus Reviews critic dubbed it "a sweet (albeit tame) debut about friendship and loyalty," while Best Reviews contributor Harriet Klausner concluded that Sister Chicas is a "delightful teen sisterhood chick lit tale." Writing in Education Update, Merri Rosenberg found the same work a "delightful novel," as well as an "engaging introduction to Latina culture for non-Latinos."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, February 1, 2006, Gillian Engberg, review of Sister Chicas: A Novel, p. 26.

Boston Globe, June 13, 2006, Johnny Diaz, "Latina Pride, Writing Is in Their Blood," review of Sister Chicas.

Houston Chronicle (Houston, TX), June 14, 2006, Johnny Diaz, "A Latina Sisterhood," p. 14.

Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 2006, review of Sister Chicas, p. 95.

USA Today, April 13, 2006, Mary Pilon, "Latina 'Girl Talk' in Sister Chicas, "p.D7.

ONLINE

Best Reviews,http://www.thebestreviews.com/ (July 19, 2006), Harriet Klausner, review of Sister Chicas.

Education Update,http://www.educationupdate.com/ (September 16, 2006), Merri Rosenberg, review of Sister Chicas.

Latina Style Magazine Online,http://www.latinastyle.com/ (September 16, 2006), Ann Hagman Cardinal, Lisa Alvarado, and Jane Alberdeston Coralin, "The Power of Three."

New American Library Web site,http://nalauthors.com/ (September 16, 2006), "Ann Hagman Cardinal."

Penguin Group USA Web site,http://us.penguingroup.com/ (September 16, 2006), "Ann Hagman Cardinal."

Seven Days, Vermont's Alternative Webweekly,http://www.sevendaysvt.com/ (April 5, 2006), "Passion of the Assassin."

Sister Chicas Web site,http://www.sisterchicas.com (September 12, 2006).

Vermont World Online,http://www.vt-world.com/ (September 12, 2006), "Sister Chicas."*