This interview with author Pam Munoz Ryan explores the importance of multicultural literature. Ryan has written more than 25 books for children, including works of fiction, nonfiction, and picture books for every age from toddler to teenager. Her young adult novel Esperanza Rising is a story that is deeply connected to Munoz Ryan's life. Born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley of California amid a large extended family, Munoz Ryan considers her background an "ethnic smorgasbord" -- she is a mix of Spanish, Mexican, Basque, Italian, and Oklahoman.