Pam Munoz Ryan

Pam Munoz Ryan Today (http://www.pammunozryan.com)

My hero is Pam Munoz Ryan, She is a children’s author. Pam holds a bachelor's degree and master's degree from San Diego California; she also has her teaching certificate. Pam considers herself a true American because she is a mix of Spanish, Mexican, Basque, Italian and Oklahoman. Her mother’s family came to the United States from Mexico in the 1930’s. Her father’s family is from Oklahoma. Pam said that one day she would eat enchiladas and the next would find her eating fried okra and peach cobbler. Pam is the oldest of three sisters and the oldest of twenty-three cousins on her mother’s side. Pam is married and has four children; she currently lives in North San Diego County, California. Pam loves children and enjoys traveling and speaking to schools to encourage children to read and to follow their dreams, no matter what they are.

Pam Munoz Ryan (http://www.pammunozryan.com)

Pam has written over twenty-five books for young people including the novel, Esperanza Rising, winner of the Pura Belpre Medal, the Jane Addams Peace Award, an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults, and the Americas Award Honor Book. Her novel, Riding Freedom, has garnered many awards, including the national Willa Cather Award and the California Young Reader Medal. Her picture books for the very young and picture books for older readers include the award-winning Amelia and Eleanor Go For A Ride and When Marian Sang, the recipient of the ALA Sibert Honor and NCTE's Orbis Pictus Award. (Celebrate Hispanic Heritage, Pam Munoz Ryan: Biography, 2008)

Esperanza Ortega Muñoz, 19 Years Old (http://www.pammunozryan.com/familyph.html)

Pam writes about overcoming odds, no matter what they are. She wants children to know that you can find happiness with any situation in your life. She gives an example of this in Esparanza Raising. This book is loosely based on her grandmother’s life when she came to America. Esparanza at one point in her life has everything and in the next it is taken away when her father is murdered and her mother and she have to move to America and work on a farm with other migrant workers. Esparanza and her mother have little to nothing, yet she finds happiness. This is a theme with all of the main characters in Pam’s books, which are mostly children, and how they overcome odds to find happiness in who they are and where they are in their life, just like Pam had to do as a child, as well as her grandmother. Pam’s books inspire children to find happiness and to know that they have the power in themselves to overcome whatever obstacles they may face, be it at home or at school, and to always be proud of who you are and where you come from. This is a very rare quality to find in individuals today, especially writers. Pam does not try to write books that are geared towards selling and making her money, she writes from her heart and to encourage and inspire children of all ages and cultural backgrounds to read and be all that they can be. This is why I have chosen Pam Munoz Ryan as my hero; she is a role model for children and adults alike around the world.

Pam Munoz and Children (http://suzyred.com)

My author exemplifies all six of the character pillars. She shows trustworthiness, by making sure that her books are honest and standing by her family and being proud of her heritage. Pam shows Respect with the way she tolerates differences and incorporates that into her book. Pam’s writing is also considerate of others and is respectful in the way it is written. She shows responsibility in always doing her best and thinking about what she is writing, and making herself accountable to her readers. She is fair in listening to what her readers and publishers have to say about her books and she does not take advantage of her readers to just make money. Pam truly cares about what she is writing and she loves the characters she writes about. Pam is above all a great citizen. She does a lot to make sure all schools and communities around the world are a good, safe and happy place to learn and experience life. She is always willing to travel to other areas and talk about not only her books but the importance of literacy in life.