Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz

Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz won the 1993 National Book Award for Children's Literature for her book Why the Pi¤a Has a Hundred Eyes and Other Classic Philippine Folk Tales About Fruits. Her biography of Gabriela Silang received a 1992 National Book Award citation for excellence. She also wrote two collections of essays, Sundays of Our Lives and Tales from EDSA. Her most recent books are the wildly successful companion gift books You Know You're Filipino If.A Pinoy Primer, Don't Take a Bath on a Friday: Philippine Superstitions and Folk Beliefs, and Ngalang Pinoy: A Primer on Filipino Wordplay, published by Tahanan Books. After graduating cum laude from St. Scholastica's College, Ms. Cruz pursued a master's degree in English literature at the Ateneo de Manila University and has taken courses in children's literature from Michigan State University. Ms. Cruz chaired the Philippine Board on Books for Young People and is a children's book critic and freelance journalist. She recently retired from the International School Manila, where she headed the Children's Media Center and taught writing to talented elementary school students. She continues to be a reading advocate as trustee of the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation. The author lives with her husband, Elfren, and their children Tanya, Roel, and Aina in Parañaque, Metro Manila.

Tahanan Books by Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz:

• NGALANG PINOY - Writer
• Gabriela Silang - Writer
• Why the Piña Has A Hundred Eyes - Writer
• The Warrior Dance - Writer
• Don't Take a Bath on a Friday - Writer
• You Know You're Filipino If... - Writer