Press Kit
Anna Orenstein Cardona
author | Financial Coach | EDUCATOR
Professional Bio - Long
Anna Orenstein-Cardona is a proud Puerto Rican native, certified financial educator (CFEI), and award-winning children’s author. Her debut picture book, The Tree of Hope, has been celebrated for its inspirational storytelling and has received several prestigious honors, including a starred review from School Library Journal, a place on Bank Street College of Education’s "Best Children’s Books of the Year - 2023," and a bronze medal for “Most Inspirational” Children’s Book by the International Latino Book Awards. In 2024, The Tree of Hope was also named one of the top four picture books about “spectacular trees” by The Week Junior (USA).
Anna is an alumna of the Faber Academy and an active member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), PB Rising Stars, and Las Musas. Her storytelling reflects her commitment to creating inspirational, heartfelt stories that celebrate values, heritage, and well-being for young readers.
A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a focus in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Anna spent over two decades on the trading floors of global banks in both Wall Street and the City of London, working alongside some of the world’s largest institutional investors.
She founded Wear Your Money Crown® in 2020 to bring custom-designed financial wellness programs to individuals, organizations, and academic institutions. Driven by a mission to close the financial inequality gap through education, Anna draws on her Cognitive Sciences background and her deep expertise in both the USA and UK financial landscapes to create holistic programs tailored to meet learners at every stage of their development, empowering them to take control of their financial futures with confidence.
Balancing her time between London and the USA, Anna treasures moments with her beloved husband, family, friends, and rescue pets (her little amores). Connect with her on Instagram (@wearyourmoneycrown) and Twitter (@BoricuaAnna).
Professional Bio - Short
Anna Orenstein-Cardona is a proud Puerto Rican native, certified financial educator (CFEI), and award-winning children’s author. Her debut picture book, The Tree of Hope, has received prestigious honors, including a starred review from School Library Journal and a bronze medal for “Most Inspirational” Children’s Book by the International Latino Book Awards.
A graduate of MIT with a focus in Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Anna spent over two decades in global finance on both Wall Street and the City of London. In 2020, she founded Wear Your Money Crown® to bring financial wellness programs to individuals, organizations, and academic institutions. With a mission to close the financial inequality gap, Anna combines her Cognitive Sciences background and expertise in both the USA and UK to create holistic, empowering programs.
Balancing her time between London and the USA, Anna treasures moments with her beloved husband, family, and rescue pets. Follow her on Instagram (@wearyourmoneycrown) and Twitter (@BoricuaAnna).
That’s me, sitting under the real-life Tree Of Hope in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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success story: anna orenstein-cardona
Cover Reveal: The Tree of Hope
regrowth & resilience: debut author anna orenstein-cardona scores slj star with "tree of hope"
ORLANDO SENTINEL: A 5 años del huracán María
School Library JOURNAL
2023 BANK STREET BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE YEAR
LAS MUSAS
Lantinx Kidlit Book Festival
RECOGNIZED BY BANK STREET COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AS
One of the "Best Children's Book of the Year - 2023 Edition"
VIEW THE ARTICLE
Interviews & Speaking Engagements
LatinxPitch Interview
school library journal
SXSW Conference
Photo credit: WhitGift School
Orlando Sentinel
Las Musas
Read Your World
The Picture Book Buzz
“The Tree of Hope is a delightful and moving tale, told with great charm and vigour. It’s message is – as the title suggests – one of hope, courage, resourcefulness, and endurance. The illustrations and text work beautifully together to tell and important and inspiring story.”
- Anthony McGowan
English Author & 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal for Lark
"...this meaningful story evades didacticism and links the tree’s resilience with the fortitude of Puerto Ricans determined to rebuild their lives. People are pictured with different skin tones, reflecting the diversity of Puerto Rico."
Kirkus Reviews
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"A powerful debut picture book about community, the determination of the Puerto Rican people, and a majestic and resilient tree. Purchase for all picture book collections."
- School Library Journal
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"Anna Orenstein-Cardona says in her author’s note that The Tree of Hope is a love letter to her treasured tree and to her people, and indeed it is. In fact, it is a song."
- terry jennings
Orenstein’s beautiful lyrical language brings the tree and the people of her beloved country to life. It relates the trials of her people and the iconic banyan tree during hurricane Maria and it shows that amid all that destruction, the tree and what the people of Puerto Rico did to save it are indeed a symbol of hope. Juan Manuel Moreno’s illustrations are a beautiful and loving portrayal of Puerto Rico. What a beautiful book.
Thanks to Anna Orenstein-Cardonna for sharing an arc of her book.
"It is not every day that one reads a picture book that makes one's eyes well up with tears. This book did that, in the best way possible."
- maria fitzgerald
"As a Honduran who knows all too well the devastating impact that hurricanes can leave behind, this story resonated with me on so many levels. But the most wonderful aspect of it was exactly what the title implies: its message of HOPE. As we've all seen in the last few years, humans are at their best when we come together in support of each other, in community, in peace. This story reminds us that when we choose to do good, and to do it together, anything is possible. What a beautiful, and incredibly true, story of resilience, unity, and esperanza! Highly recommend to all readers!"
"Stories like this about overcoming adversity, never giving up, resilience, and helping others rise above the challenges are truly inspiring and a valuable gift for young readers."
-Mariana Ríos Ramírez
"I consider that the author does a great job in making the reader connect with the events in the story in a very engaging and touching way. I can completely understand what it meant for the community to see it fall during the hurricane. There are scenes that are really moving.
The way the story is told is clear, with easily understandable words and a nice rhythm. In addition to this, the illustrations are beautiful and work perfectly with the text. I loved them. I also liked reading the author's note and the "Behind the story" section."
book reviews
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