Pam Muñoz Ryan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pam Muñoz Ryan
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Pam Munoz Ryan
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| Born | December 25, 1951 Bakersfield, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | San Diego State University |
| Genre | Children's and young adult |
| Notable works | Esperanza Rising Echo |
Pam Muñoz Ryan, born on December 25, 1951, is a well-known American author. She writes exciting books for children and young adults. Many of her stories celebrate different cultures and backgrounds.
Contents
About Pam Muñoz Ryan
Pam Muñoz Ryan grew up in Bakersfield, California. Her family background is a mix of Mexican, Basque, Italian, and Oklahoman cultures. These different influences often inspire her stories.
She has written more than forty books for young people. These include picture books for younger kids, early readers, and novels for middle schoolers and teens. Pam Muñoz Ryan has received many important honors for her writing. These include the Human and Civil Rights Award from the National Education Association. She was also nominated for the International Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2018.
Her popular novel, Esperanza Rising, was even turned into a play. It has been performed in theaters across the United States.
Her Early Life and Education
Pamela Jeanne Banducci was born in Bakersfield, California. Before she started school, her last name was changed to Bell. This was to match the name of her parents, Hope Bell and Donald Bell. She attended McKinley and Longfellow Elementary schools.
As a child, Pam enjoyed riding her bike to the library. She also took music lessons for piano and violin for a short time. She went to Washington Jr. High and Bakersfield High School. Later, she attended Bakersfield Community College. She then earned a bachelor's degree from San Diego State University.
Becoming a Writer
Pam Muñoz Ryan married James Ryan in 1975. She worked as an early childhood teacher for three years. After her four children were born, she became the director of an early childhood program. She also went back to school to earn her master's degree. Her goal was to teach Children's Literature in college.
After finishing her graduate program, she became very interested in writing. Her agent, Kendra Marcus, encouraged her to include her family name, Muñoz, in her author name. This was to honor her Mexican heritage.
Awards and Recognitions
Pam Muñoz Ryan has won many awards for her books. These awards show how much her stories are loved and respected.
- 2024 Children’s Literature Legacy Award: This award honors an author whose books have made a lasting contribution to children's literature. It is given by the Association for Library Service to Children.
- 2023 Regina Medal: This award is given by the Catholic Library Association.
Awards for Specific Books
- Echo
- 2016 Newbery Honor Books
- 2016 Américas Award
- 2015 Kirkus Prize
- The Dreamer, illustrated by Peter Sís
- 2011 Pura Belpré Medal
- 2011 Américas Award
- 2010 Boston Globe-Horn Honor
- Becoming Naomi León
- 2006 Pura Belpré Honor Medal
- 2005 Schneider Family Book Award
- 2005 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Book Award
- When Marian Sang, illustrated by Brian Selznick
- 2003 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
- Riding Freedom, illustrated by Brian Selznick
- 1998 Parenting Magazine’s Reading Magic Award
- Esperanza Rising
- 2002 Pura Belpré Award
- 2001 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
See also
In Spanish: Pam Muñoz Ryan para niños
