Born Pamela Jeanne Banducci on December 25, 1951, in Bakersfield, California, Pam Muñoz Ryan is a prolific American author known for her works aimed at children and young adults, often within the multicultural genre. Her heritage includes Mexican, Basque, Italian, and Oklahoman influences, which she later chose to reflect in her professional name by incorporating her family name, Muñoz. Ryan's career spans over forty books, encompassing picture books, early readers, middle grade, and young adult novels. Her contributions to literature have been recognized with numerous awards, including the NEA's Human and Civil Rights Award, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and the Ludington Award. She was also a U.S. nominee for the International Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2018. Before her writing career, Ryan worked as an early childhood teacher and later pursued a master's degree with the aspiration of teaching Children's Literature at the college level. Her novel "Esperanza Rising" was adapted into a play.

Ryan's early life was marked by a solitary childhood, finding solace in books and the library rather than social activities. She attended schools in Bakersfield before pursuing higher education at San Diego State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree. After marrying James Ryan in 1975, she worked as an early childhood teacher for three years. Following the birth of her four children, she directed an early childhood program and returned to her studies. Her decision to include her surname Muñoz was a deliberate choice to honor her Mexican ancestry. Her literary journey began after completing her graduate studies, encouraged by her agent to embrace her heritage in her authorial identity.