Ying Chang Compestine (born March 8, 1963[1]) is a Chinese American author, speaker, television host and chef. She has written over twenty books including Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party (novel), based on her life growing up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.[2], and a middle grade novel, Morning Sun in Wuhan,[3] set in Wuhan, China.

Ying Chang Compestine
Author Ying Chang Compestine speaking at the Asian Festival of Children's Content
Born	張瀛 (1963-03-08) March 8, 1963 (age 59) Wuhan, Hubei, China
Occupation	Author
Language	English
Alma mater	Central China Normal University University of Colorado Boulder
Genre	Fiction, children's books, cookbooks, historical fiction, cultural studies
Notable works	Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party (2007)
Spouse	Greg M. Compestine
Children	1
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	張瀛
Simplified Chinese	张瀛
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Zhāng Yíng Wade–Giles Chang1 Ying2
Website
www.yingc.com

Biography

Ying Chang Compestine was born and raised in Wuhan, China.[1] Her family was considered "bourgeois," so the Red Guard took her family's belongings and her father was put in jail twice.[4] Because of the family's difficulties, Compestine was sent to live with her grandparents.[4]

Compestine earned a degree in English and American literature and taught English in China.[1] She also worked as an interpreter for China's Bureau of Seismology.[1]

Compestine graduated with a master's degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1990.[5][6] She met her husband just before she finished graduate school.[7]

Career

After immigrating to the United States, Compestine taught sociology and writing at universities in both the U.S. and China.[8][1] Compestine has received various education awards including the Master Teacher Award from both Front Range Community College (1991-1992) and the International School of Beijing (2000).[1]

Compestine has hosted several cooking shows on Chinese Language News Broadcaster for Phoenix North America Chinese Channel, as well as appearing as a guest on the Food Network, Discovery Channel,[9] and HGTV.[1] She also worked a food editor for Martha Stewart’s Body + Soul magazine[7] and is a contributor for Cooking Light, EatingWell, Self, and Men's Health.[10][11][12] Compestine is also a spokesperson for Nestle and Celestial Seasonings.[13]

Writing career

Compestine began writing after her son was born, creating the cookbook, Secrets of Fat-Free Chinese Cooking (1997).[7] She began writing children's books after her parents died, because she missed China and her family.[7] Since then she has written numerous children's books, and is actively writing today.

Her book Revolution is Not a Dinner Party (2007) is based on her life growing up in China.[7] The book has been featured on several lists, such as the 2008 American Library Association's (ALA) Best Books for Young Readers, and Publishers Weekly's best children's books for 2007.[14]

Compestine co-authored Secrets of The Terra Cotta Soldier, with her son Vinson in 2014.[15][16]

Her children's book The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes (2018) illustrated by David Roberts, has received praise from Publishers Weekly, The Guardian, and The San Francisco Chronicle.[17][18][19] It was rated as one of the "best new picture books" by The Children's Book Review in 2018.[20]

She has an upcoming middle grade novel, Morning Sun in Wuhan.[21] Clarion Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, will publish the novel,[22] which has received praise from readers and literary organizations such as Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.[23]

She has two upcoming picture books: Little Red Riding Hood and the Dragon, a fairy tale retelling set in China,[24] and Dragon Noodle Party.[25]

Publications

• The Chinese Red Riding Hood. Abrams Books for Young Readers. Release date: 2021
• D is for Dragon Dance (Chinese/English bilingual edition). Holiday House. Release date: Fall 2018
• Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party (German translation). Verlagshaus Jacoby & Stuart. Release date: Summer 2018
• The Chinese Emperor's New Clothes. Abrams Books For Young Readers. 2018. ISBN 978-1419725425.
• A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales. Tumbling Dumpling Media. 2016. ISBN 978-0997218701.
• The Story of Chopsticks. Immedium. 2016. ISBN 9781597021203.
• The Story of Kites. Immedium. 2016. ISBN 978-1597021319.
• The Story of Paper. Immedium. 2016. ISBN 978-1597021234.
• Boy Dumplings: A Tasty Chinese Tale. Immedium. 2016. ISBN 978-1597021197.
• Secrets of The Terra Cotta Soldier. with Vinson Compestine. Abrams Books. 2014. ISBN 978-1419705403.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
• Cooking with an Asian Accent. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2014. ISBN 978-1118130759.
• Ying's Best One-Dish Meals: Quick & Healthy Recipes for the Entire Family. Sellers Publishing, Inc. 2011. ISBN 978-1416206439.
• The Runaway Wok. Dutton Books for Young Readers. 2011. ISBN 978-0525420682.
• Crouching Tiger. Candlewick. 2011. ISBN 978-0763646424.
• Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party. Henry Holt & Co. 2007. ISBN 978-0997218701.
• The Real Story of Stone Soup. Dutton Books for Young Readers. 2007. ISBN 978-0525474937.
• D is For Dragon Dance. Holiday House Inc. 2007. ISBN 9780823420582.
• The Story of Noodles. Holiday House. 2002. ISBN 0823416003.
• Secrets From a Healthy Asian Kitchen. Avery. 2002. ISBN 9781583331279.
• The Runaway Rice Cake. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 2001. ISBN 0689829728.
• Cooking With Green Tea. Avery. 2000. ISBN 9781583330654.
• Secrets of Fat-free Chinese Cooking. Avery. 1997. ISBN 0895297353.
• Morning Sun in Wuhan. Clarion Books. 2022. ISBN 0358572053.

Awards

References

External links

• Ying Chang Compestine