Ying Compestine

Ying Chang Compestine (born March 8, 1963 ) is a Chinese American author, speaker, television host and chef. She has written over 27 books, including the novel Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party based on her life growing up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and a middle grade novel, Morning Sun in Wuhan, set in Wuhan, China.

Biography Ying Chang Compestine was born and raised in Wuhan, China, during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Because of the family's difficulties, Compestine was sent to live with her grandparents. She met her husband just before she finished graduate school. Before becoming an award-winning author, she taught sociology at various universities and colleges in the U.S. and China until 1998.

Career After immigrating to the United States, Compestine taught sociology and writing at universities in both the U.S. and China. and HGTV. Compestine is also a spokesperson for Nestle and Celestial Seasonings.

Writing career

Compestine’s writing often combines Chinese food, folklore, history, family stories, and cultural memory. Across cookbooks, picture books, young adult novels, memoir, and graphic works, her books frequently explore identity, resilience, intergenerational relationships, and the meeting of Eastern and Western perspectives.

Compestine began writing after the birth of her son. Her first book was the cookbook Secrets of Fat-Free Chinese Cooking, published in 1997. She later began writing books for children, drawing on her memories of China, her family, and Chinese culture. Her work spans cookbooks, picture books, young adult fiction, memoir, and graphic works, and frequently incorporates Chinese food, folklore, history, festivals, and family traditions.

Her young adult novel Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party (2007) draws on her childhood experiences during the Cultural Revolution. The book was included in the 2008 American Library Association’s Best Books for Young Adults list and Publishers Weekly’s Best Children’s Books of 2007.

In 2014, Compestine co-authored Secrets of the Terra-Cotta Soldier with her son Vinson.

Her middle-grade novel Morning Sun in Wuhan, set during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, was published in 2022.

Her picture book memoir Growing Up Under a Red Flag (2024), illustrated by Xinmei Liu, recounts her childhood during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. The book received starred reviews from School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist, and was selected as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.

Other recent picture books include Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu (2024), illustrated by Crystal Kung, and The Chinese New Year Helper (2025), illustrated by Ginnie Hsu.

Compestine’s young adult novel A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts has been developed as an animated adaptation by Robot Playground Media. Public descriptions of the project describe it as an animated horror anthology based on the book, blending Chinese customs, culture, cuisine, and ghost stories.

Her graphic novel cookbook Buddha Jumps over the Wall, and Other Curiously Named Classic Chinese Dishes: A Graphic Cookbook—26 Recipes & Stories was published by Chronicle Books in March 2025. The book combines recipes with the folkloric stories behind classic Chinese dishes. In 2025, Google Play named it its “Favorite Graphic Novel” in its Best of 2025 books list.

Speaking career

Compestine has presented as a speaker, author, and guest chef on cruise ships, at resorts, schools, conferences, and other venues, including The World Residences at Sea, Silversea, Crystal, Canyon Ranch , and TCS World Travel.

Her speaking topics include her childhood in China during the Cultural Revolution, resilience and storytelling, Asian culture and cuisine, healthy living and cooking, and the writing and publishing process. She also presents programs that combine memoir, food, culture, and wellness. Canyon Ranch lists Compestine as a guest expert and describes her as a nationally recognized authority on culture and cuisine, an award-winning author, and a former food editor for Martha Stewart’s Whole Living magazine. The profile also notes that she speaks for cruise ships, private jet journeys, resorts, and organizations worldwide, and that her programs address her writing journey, her life in Wuhan, China, and healthy eating and living.

Recent program topics have included healthspan and lifespan, the healing power of personal storytelling, Asian food and wellness traditions, Asian folklore and hungry ghost traditions, and concise writing inspired by principles of simplicity and clarity.

Common speaking themes include inspirational speaking, healthy eating and cooking, cultural storytelling, and writing programs. Her educational offerings include author visits and writer-in-residence programs, where she works with students and teachers to encourage reading, writing, creativity, and cross-cultural understanding.

Publications Buddha Jumps Over a Wall and Other Curiously Named Chinese Dishes. Chronicle Books. Release date: March 2025. The Chinese New Year Helper. Rocky Pond Books. 2024. ISBN 9780593534014 Growing Up Under a Red Flag. Rocky Pond Books. 2024. ISBN 978-0593533987. Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu. Rocky Pond Books. 2024. ISBN 978-0593533055. Dragon Noodle Party. Holiday House. 2022. ISBN 978-0823449507. Morning Sun in Wuhan. Clarion Books. 2022. ISBN 978-0358572053. Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2022 ISBN 978-1419737282. D is for Dragon Dance (Chinese/English bilingual edition). Holiday House. 2018. Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party (German translation). Verlagshaus Jacoby & Stuart. 2018. The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes. Abrams Books For Young Readers. 2018. ISBN 978-1419725425. The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes (Audiobook Sample). Abrams Books For Young Readers. 2018.

Awards BookAwardRevolution Is Not a Dinner PartyCalifornia Book Award for Young Adult Literature

2008 ALA Best Books For Young Adults

2008 ALA Notable Children's Books

2007 Publishers Weekly Best Children's Fiction Book List

2007 San Francisco Chronicle Best Children's Fiction Book List

2008 Chinese American Librarian Association Best Book

2007 New York Public Library 100 Best Titles for Reading and Sharing

2007 Fall Book Sense Children's Picks

2007 Parent's Choice Silver Honor

2007 Cybils Award Nomination for Young Adult Fiction

2008 Tayshas Reading List (Texas)

2007 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best

2007 Cleveland Public Library Celebrate With Books

2007 Cuyahoga County Public Library Great Books for Kids

2008 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People — CBC and the National Council for Social Studies

2008 IRA Notable Books for a Global Society

2008 NCTE Award

2008 Capitol Choices — Best Books of the Year, Washington, D.C.

2008 New York Public Library's Teen Age List

2008 Cooperative Children's Book Center — Best of the Year

2008 Bank Street College of Education — Best Children's Book

2008 Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts

2008 Book of the Year Award — Northern California Independent Booksellers Association

2008 Women's National Book Association's Judy Lopez Memorial Awards Honor

2008-09 Maine Student Book Award

2008 Notable Children's Books in the English Language Arts

2009 ATPE Book of the Month

2009 Sakura Medal Book

2008-2009 Nominated for the Maine Student Book Award A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A collection of Deliciously Frightening TalesNotable Book for 2010 by the Children's Literary Assembly

AARP as a Grandparent's Book for Children 2022 Honorable Mention of the Freeman Book Award by NCTAsia

2022 Recipient of the Common Sense Selection for Books designation

2023 Chosen as a Gold Standard Selection by the Junior Library Guild

2023 Notable Social Studies Book by the NSST/CBC Ra Pu Zel and the Stinky Tofu2024 Recipient of the Common Sense Selection for Books designation 2024 Winner of the MOSS Kids National Championship

2024 BookPage's Best Picture Books of the Year

2024 Evanston Public Library 101 Great Books for Kids

2024 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids Growing Up Under a Red Flag2024 Chosen as a Gold Standard Selection by the Junior Library Guild

2024 Recipient of the Common Sense Selection for Books designation

2024 Starred review from the School Library Journal

2024 Starred review from Publishers Weekly

2024 Starred review from Booklist

2024 CALIBA Golden Poppy Award Finalist

2024 Kirkus Reviews' Best Picture Books of the Year

Wall Street Journal's Best Books of 2024: Children's Books

Booklist's Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2024

Common Sense Selection's Best Books of the Year: 2024

2025 Comstock Read Aloud Book Award The Chinese New Year Helper2024 Publishers Weekly's Best Holiday Books For Kids and Teens

Book Riot's Best New Children's Books Out December 2024 Buddha Jumps over the Wall, and Other Curiously Named Classic Chinese Dishes 2025 Google Play's Best Books(Graphic Novel)