revolution is not a dinner party by ying chang compestine

Compestine shows how complicated a Cultural Revolution is as she depicts the way political unrest affects the daily lives of people, in this case the doctors who are a part of the 'bourgeois'.

Her parents did what I think is the natural thing to do in any crisis: shelter the children, keep on doing what they think is best, take a low key stance, look to the future and what might be (listening to Voice of America, practicing English). Like Ling, my world as I had envisioned it was deteriorating, not to the extent of her world in China, but nonetheless.

In the 70s I was having my own struggles 'growing up' in a place where people who I thought were good did mean and evil things like Comrade Li. I don't know a lot about the Chinese Cultural Revolution aside from the limited stories I remember of young people wanting what we have in America. She is capable of learning from her environment and times. This book lends credence to the thoughts of the young girl, making her out to be a thinker, one who reflects upon the actions and words of those around her. Kids I work with are becoming more and more aware of their surroundings, and I hope they are questioning the way things are. Like many young girls, girls who I teach, she is mostly focussed on how the world is treating her: she is being bullied at school, people are disappearing around her, she can't have the things she wants, her parents are whispering. While still reading this book, I am struck by the perspective of the young girl as she tries to figure out what is going on around her. Ying is frequently invited to speak at schools and conferences around the world, sharing her journey as a writer, how her life in Wuhan, China inspired her writing, as well as promoting healthy eating and living.

She has authored cookbooks, and numerous feature food articles for various magazines, including Cooking Light, Men’s Health, and Eating Well. She had written over 23 books of multiple genres, including MG novels MORNING SUN IN WUHAN and A BANQUET FOR HUNGRY GHOSTS, and numerous picture books, such as THE RUNAWAY WOK, a Scholastic Book Club Choice and CHINESE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES, winner of Bank Street College Best Children’s Book.īesides writing fiction books, she has also hosted cooking shows, worked as food editor of Martha Stewart’s Body+Soul. Ying Chang Compestine is the award-winning author of REVOLUTION IS NOT A DINNER PARTY, winner of ALA Notable Children’s Books, ALA Best Books for Young Adults and Asian Pacific American Award, and California Book Award for Young Adult literature.

Revolution is not a dinner party by ying chang compestine