Cristina Henriquez was born in Newark, Delaware, in 1971 to a father of Panamanian origin and a mother from New Jersey. She was raised in Delaware but frequently visited Panama, which would later inspire the settings of her books. The language barrier she experienced in Panama made her an observer, which has translated into her writing style and the characters she creates. Henriquez now resides in Illinois and is known for her relatable fictitious accounts of immigration.
Cristina Henriquez has established herself as a prominent author, having written four books, including "The Book of Unknown Americans," which was a New York Times Notable Book of 2014 and one of Amazon's Top 10 Books of the Year. It was also recognized as the Daily Beast Novel of the Year, a Washington Post Notable Book, an NPR Great Read, a Target Book of the Month selection, and was chosen as one of the best books of the year by various organizations. Henriquez's work has been published in numerous prestigious publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and more. She has been a guest on National Public Radio and has received the Alfredo Cisneros Del Moral Foundation Award, which was started by Sandra Cisneros in honor of her father.