Pam Muñoz Ryan has written over thirty books for young people, from picture books for the very young to young adult novels, including the award-winning Esperanza Rising, Becoming Naomi Leon, Riding Freedom, Paint the Wind, And the Dreamer. She is the National Education Association’s Author recipient of the Civil and Human Rights Award, the Virginia Hamilton Award for Multicultural Literature, and is twice the recipient of the Willa Cather Literary Award for writing. She was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, (formerly Pam Bell), received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at San Diego State University, and now lives in North San Diego County with her family.