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About the Author

Pam Muñoz Ryan was born and raised in California’s San Joaquin (pronounced wah-keen) Valley. She

grew up with many of her aunts and uncles and her grandparents nearby and considers herself truly

American because her cultural background is an ethnic smorgasbord. She is Spanish, Mexican, Basque,
Italian, and Oklahoman.

As a kid, Pam spent many long, hot valley summers riding her bike to the public library. It became her

favorite hangout because her family didn’t have a swimming pool and the library was air-conditioned!

That’s how she got hooked on reading and books. When she wasn’t reading she usually could be found
daydreaming or putting on plays in her backyard.

Pam didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. Before graduating from college she was a

babysitter, an exercise instructor, a salesgirl in a bridal store, a cashier at a hardware store, a secretary,
and a teacher’s assistant. After college, she knew that she wanted a job that had something to do with

books, so she became a teacher. She worked as a bilingual Head Start teacher in Escondido, California.

After Pam was married and had four children, she went back to school to get her master’s degree in

education. One day, out of the blue, a professor asked if she’d ever thought about writing professionally.
Then, about three weeks later, a colleague asked if Pam would help her write a book. Before that point,

Pam had never considered writing as a career. After that, she couldn’t stop thinking about it and that’s

when she finally knew what she really wanted to do.
Pam is also the author of the award-winning novels Riding Freedom, with drawings by Brian Selznick,

and Becoming Naomi León, as well as numerous picture books including Mice and Beans, illustrated by

Joe Cepeda, and Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride and When Marian Sang, both illustrated by Brian
Selznick.

For more information about Pam Muñoz Ryan, you can visit her Web site at: www.pammunozryan.com.