SANDRA CISNEROS

Throughout Cisneros' life, her Mexican-American mother, her Mexican father, her six brothers, and she would move between Mexico City and Chicago , never allowing her much time to get settled in any one place. Her loneliness from not having sisters or friends drove her to reading and burying herself in books. In high school she wrote poetry and was the literary magazine editor. It took her a while to find her own voice, but she then realized that she needed to write what she knew, and adopted a writing style that was purposely opposite that of her classmates. Her writing is shaped by her experiences. Sandra received an M. A. from the writing program at the University of Iowa .

The House on Mango Street, was her first book and was awarded the Before Columbus American Book Award in 1985. 

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