Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools’ aspiring authors were starstruck on Wednesday when they got to spend time learning more about their craft with Award-Winning Novelist Pam Muñoz Ryan.
Muñoz Ryan has been publishing children’s books since 1998 and is famous for historical fiction inspired by her Mexican heritage, including Esperanza Rising, Becoming Naomi León, and Mañanaland. In 2016, she won her first Newberry Medal for her book Echo. Her stories have been a fixture in school libraries and book fairs since many students’ parents were in school, so having her around to discuss her writing was a big deal for avid readers.
Bookmarks took Muñoz Ryan on visits to Konnoak Middle School, East Forsyth Middle School, and Flat Rock Middle School to talk to student about her career. Every student who attended a session was given a signed copy of her latest book El Niño, which follows a young swimmer who gets swept up in the legend of a mysterious underwater realm.
Bookmarks, a non-profit independent bookstore in Winston-Salem, frequently works with WS/FCS to give students more connections with writers and their books. Bookmarks Youth and Schools Manager Lupe Penn says the group is always looking for opportunities to foster a love of reading in young people.
“We’re really grateful for our partnership with the school district,” Penn said. “The librarians always tell us what a huge impact it makes.”
That impact was apparent for students who got to speak with Muñoz Ryan. She shared a lot of practical writing advice, including making a habit of writing in a journal to hone your voice, rereading your own work frequently to find where you can improve, and getting involved in dramatic arts like theatre that provide more opportunities to write. Students who dream of publishing their own stories felt more confident after listening to what she had to say.
“I love meeting authors and writers because it helps me understand more about how it works,” said Flat Rock Eighth Grader Chrichelis Rivera. “I want to be a writer just like her.”
Muñoz Ryan was proud to be a part of the program. When she was these students’ age, her schools never had author visits like these, but she knows it would have been an incredible source of inspiration for her if they had. She appreciates WS/FCS creating this opportunity for her to help the next ones in line.
“I know what it would have meant to me as a young girl if I had gotten to meet my favorite writers,” Muñoz Ryan said. “I probably never would have forgotten it.”