Growing Up under a Red Flag: A Memoir of Surviving the Chinese Cultural Revolution

by Ying Chang Compestine, Xinmei Liu (Illustrator)

A stirring and magnificently illustrated picture-book memoir of the author’s childhood during the Chinese Cultural RevolutionYing Chang Compestine was a young girl in 1966 when Mao launched his Cultural Revolution to reclaim power and eliminate non-communist values in the country. His army began punishing and arresting people who didn’t agree with him, foreign reading material was banned, and children were all required to dress in uniform and carry the Little Red Book of Mao’s teachings. It was a time of fear, mayhem, and scarcity that lasted until Mao’s death ten years later, when Ying was thirteen. Through those ten harrowing years, Ying’s parents found ways to secretly educate her and allow her dreams of visiting America to stay vibrant. Now she brings her childhood story and China’s history to life in this absorbing and beautiful picture book.

Awards:
2024 Gold Standard Selection by the Junior Library Guild

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

Kirkus Best Picture Books of the Year

CALIBA Golden Poppy Finalist

Freeman Book Award's Honorable Mention

Reviews:

★ "A fascinating memoir of living during a tumultuous time...matched with rich illustrations and will engage readers...Strong first buy."
— School Library Journal

★ "Illustrating events in an appropriately Socialist Realist style, Liu depicts human figures standing and gesturing in broad, dramatic poses, with exaggerated expressions of fear or fervor to reflect the tenor of the moment, against backgrounds marked with revolutionary posters and other exactly drawn details. An intense and account of life in an authoritarian regime, relevant to our times."
— Booklist

★ "Debut illustrator Xinmei Liu gives the ink and digitally colored artwork the feel of vintage Chinese art and design, strengthening an already gripping historical narrative."
-- Publisher’s Weekly

"...draws readers...into the vortex of suspicion..."
— The Wall Street Journal

“The author uses simple, clear language to make complex political ideas more accessible to young audiences. Liu’s artwork helps add depth with nuanced facial expressions, thoughtful details, and eye-catching visual compositions. The vibrant palette and the style of the illustrations are fittingly reminiscent of vintage Chinese propaganda posters. A vivid glimpse into a childhood under communist rule."
— Kirkus Reviews

Featured on Kirkus' Fully Booked podcast episode 401 to discuss Growing Up Under a Red Flag! : https://www.goodreads.com/videos/2158...

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, History, Biography, Memoir, China, Aapi

Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

A leading national authority on culture and cuisine, award-winning author, and former food editor for Martha Stewart's Whole Living magazine, Ying Chang Compestine has written 27 books across multiple genres, including picture books, YA novels, and healthy adult cookbooks. She has hosted cooking shows, worked as a food editor for Martha Stewart’s Body+Soul, and was a spokesperson for Nestle Maggi and Celestial Seasonings.

Her novel "Revolution is Not a Dinner Party" and her memoir "Growing Up Under a Red Flag" recount her childhood during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. These works have received awards globally and high praise from prestigious media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and Publisher's Weekly. Her novel "A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts" is currently being adapted into an animated TV series.

Named one of the "50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading" by The Author's Show, her books have sold worldwide in multiple languages. Endorsed by Dr. Andrew Weil, her cookbook "Cooking with an Asian Accent" has been described as “a contemporary new cuisine.”

Ying believes food can be both healthy and delicious and that healthy eating is the key to a long, happy life. By integrating her background into her recipe creation, she features the three most critical Asian principles of food in her dishes: satisfaction of the senses, yin-yang balance, and medicinal properties.

In addition to writing, Ying has been a sought-after keynote speaker for high-end cruise ships, private jets, and resorts, including The World Residences at Sea, Crystal, Silver Sea, Viking, TCS World Travel, and Canyon Ranch. Ying is also frequently invited to speak at schools and conferences worldwide to share her journey as a writer—how her life in Wuhan, China, inspired her work—and to promote healthy eating and living. Her website is www.yingc.com

Reviews

[Katelyn Sandlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad there are children’s books talking about the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Great pictures and story for such a heavy, important topic!

[Colette Denali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been recommended Ying Chang Compestine’s middle grade & YA prose, yet on Libby, the cover and title of “Growing Up Under the Ref Flag,” an illustrated work, called to me.

My own work explores the ways in which children’s media imparts ideas of Indigeneity & nationalism, so I am interested in similar themes in non-North American contexts.

My life experiences & research on socialist childhoods + my decades-deep affinity for learning about the Chinese Cultural Revolution + my career in info sciences made this book both sing & fall flat for me.

The text is accessible, but the broader historical context and motivations of the characters are opaque. There are moments in the book that feel crystalline (the book burnings, the narrator’s father’s arrest, and the shopping scenes). Others feel oddly disjointed and under-developed (the introduction of Madame Mao & the Gang of Four at the Cultural Revolution’s end lacks adequate contexualization).

The illustrations are skillful, but many of the characters’ facial expressions felt markedly off-putting, even in happier scenes. While this makes sense due to the time period & its distress, there was a strangely wooden quality to the characters’ faces, even in the joyful scenes.

The settings & the spot illustrations on the author’s note are *outstanding.* Illustrator Xinmei Liu’s attention to the ambience of the setting + the beautifully intimate details of the spaces and objects shine! I just could not appreciate the facial expressions.

The author has compelling stories to tell; I look forward to reading her middle grade & YA work. This book would benefit from stronger editing. It’s unclear which age group would most benefit from this book as it stands. I hope the author and illustrator work together again & tighten up their work as collaborators!

[Natalie Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Allen Zhu]

This book caught my eye the first day I walked into a St. Louis public library. Don't know why, but my chest welled up with some kind of feeling as I flipped through the illustrations. Actually, I probably know why. The author's story parallels that of my dad's, and there's something about getting a glimpse into the humble origins of family that makes me feel a certain way, perhaps a poignant awe.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heavy picture book. This is the first time I've read a first person story of the Chinese cultural revolution. I very much appreciated the history and visuals here but wasn't fully prepared for just how tough the story itself would be.

[Gita Karmani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sptnya ini beda dgn buku2 graphic novel authornya (namanya juga memoir 😂). Topiknya lebih sensitif, dan mungkin lebih cenderung ke masa lalunya sendiri.

Cerita ttg penulisnya yg mrp warga China namun di sana terjadi krisis dmn China diduduki oleh komunis dan dipimpin oleh seorang petinggi militer di China. (Tbh aku gatau di sini komunisnya itu ideologi/negara. Toh China pun skrg menganut komunisme.) Semua warga harus tunduk dgn budaya lokal, meskipun pny relasi di luar negeri. Dan yg tjd di keluarga authornya adlh, ayahnya yg mrp dokter memiliki kenalan sesama dokter dan berkewarganegaraan Amerika. Mereka berbagi informasi ttg kedokteran dlm bhs Inggris, terutama literatur2. Karena dianggap seolah membocorkan informasi ttg China, ayahnya ditangkap dipisahkan dr istri dan si author.

Karena si author hidup dgn mempelajari bahasa asing, dia gak luput dr siksaan para tentara militer yg menggerebek dan menghancurkan isi rumahnya utk mengambil barang bukti.
Untungnya ayah si author bisa bebas dan bisa ketemu istri dan anaknya dan sptnya komunisme berhasil diambil alih dgn kudeta. Setelah keadaan dinyatakan aman, author melanjutkan pendidikan di luar negeri (New York) bersama kedua orang tuanya. Walau di sini gak tahu menetap atau enggaknya.

Kalo dilihat2 sptnya gak heran kalo byk imigran Amerika yg berasal dr China, dan juga bbrp dr mereka milih gak kembali ke negara asal. Mgkin karena pengaruh ideologi dan budaya yg gak sesuai dgn keyakinan.

Sayangnya di Libby kecil2 bgt tulisan dan gambarnya jd harus di zoom2 kalo baca 😂

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book autobiography of Ying Chang Compestine who grew up in China during the Cultural Revolution. Her father was a doctor and mother a Chinese medicine practitioner. Her father taught her English and used to read foreign books with her, dreaming of taking her to see the Golden Gate Bridge someday...until Mao rose to power and her father was arrested. Ying shares what it was like to grow up in that time, what happened to her father, and how she eventually came to America for grad school after Mao's death and the end of the Cultural Revolution.

This may not be long, but it packs a punch. I'd shelve it in middle grade because of the harsh circumstances Ying faced, especially her father being hauled off to jail. I'm glad Ying Chang Compestine shared her story. There haven't been a lot of new books for kids on the Chinese Cultural Revolution since Red Scarf Girl (which came out decades ago) and this is much more accessible to reluctant readers.

Notes on content:
Language: None
Sexual content: None
Violence: There's an angry mob that hauls away first Ying's father and someone else. They deface property too. Ying hits a thief with her shoe to get back some ration tickets.
Ethnic diversity: Mostly Chinese, with one white American doctor who was a mentor to Ying's father.
LGBTQ+ content: None
Other: They are shown burning all their English language materials to hide that they had them. She mentions hunger and lack of education opportunities during the oppressive regime.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1966, Ying Chang Compestine was just three years old and living in Wuhan with her parents (both doctors). Then Mao Zedong took over. The changes in her family life were heartbreaking. Because her parents were writing letters to a doctor in San Francisco, they were labelled as US spies and soon her father was put in prison. While he was away from them, Ying and her mother dreamed of emigrating to San Francisco and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge. The detailed illustrations by Xinmei Liu show the tyranny all around. Ration coupons were handed out to the people, but the shelves were almost always empty. Once when Ying was on her way to buy meat for her and her mother, a boy stole her coupons. She chased him down and got them back. After weeks without soap in the hot summer months, Ying had to have her hair shaved. Finally ten years later, the Revolution ended and Ying's father was returned to them. It will be ten more years, but Ying and her family do get a chance to come to the US and see that bridge that helped them to endure the terrors of the Revolution. This enlightening and inspiring read is recommended to ages 10 and up.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a undergraduate history major, I'm somewhat ashamed of how little I know about the Chinese cultural Revolution. Ying Chang Compestine provides younger readers with an opportunity to learn more about this moment in Chinese history through her experience as a child. The illustrations by Xinmei Liu are absolutely beautiful and capture the struggle that Compestine and her family faced during this time in history. If you're looking for an easily digestable information picture book/biography that focuses on a part of history that isn't typically taught to secondary education students, I highly recommend checking this one out.

[MOSS Kids Book Project · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely powerful memoir of surviving the Chinese Cultural Revolution. As uncomfortable as this book may seem to some, it's extremely important for our youth to learn actual accounts of history. Picture books truly are for everyone & I believe this book can teach us all. I absolutely adore this author's other books & found it incredible to learn more about her & her childhood!

Thank you to Edelweiss & Rocky Pond Books for an early digital review copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Sieglinde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually a lot better than I expected. I had read about the author in my local paper and wanted to read her memoir of the Chinese Cultural Revolution and was surprised to find it was a picture book not a chapter book. But the illustrations are gorgeous and very detailed. The writing is definitely above first grade level and the story is interesting and honest. It does not hide the violence and deprivation of the era without being inappropriate.

[Afoma (Reading Middle Grade) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful, heartrending non-fiction picture book about growing up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Striking illustrations and an accessible story that kids ages 8+ will appreciate. I enjoyed this author's Morning Sun in Wuhan and it was lovely to get a peek into the childhood that likely informed that novel. I love that kids will get to learn a bit about Chinese history from this memoir.

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fascinating non fiction picture book about the author's childhood growing up under Mao in the PRC during the Cultural Revolution. The very human perspective of the author, as well as the illustrations to give you an idea of what she experienced, really helped me learn more detail about a very scary time in history and what a family did to try to get through it!

[Cat Fithian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really interesting, easily digestible story of a young person in the midst of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Interesting to see what people write about what I would consider "recent" history as we all continue to process the realities of world politics. Not sure who I'd recommend this to, but I'm really glad it exists.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ying Chang Compestine's picture book memoir of growing up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. This is a really gripping narrative that will have readers eager to keep reading -- and keep learning more after about families living during Mao's 10 year revolution. The illustrations -- made to look like vintage Chinese propaganda posters are a really nice addition in creating a sense of setting.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good child's book to learn a bit what it was like to grow up in Communist China during the Cultural Revolution. It accounts the author's actual experiences, which makes it even better.
She wrote it in a way that it is an actual story, not a listing of facts or things that happened.

If your children are in middle school or above, I'd recommend Compestine's, 'Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party'.

[Reading Kittens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story. Perhaps a little confusing at parts. I would have liked to learn more about the end of the Cultural revolution. Also I would have liked the character to have more of a desire to have conflict. Illustrations are good, a documentary style.

[Kaitlyn (ktxx22) Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really heavy and dense Picture book. A perfect book for a child who is in school looking for a book to use as a project since it’s nonfiction but for small children this book will go over their heads Big time. It’s really good but also serious subject matter.

[Diana Gagliardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shows you just how fast things can change and how things that are supposed to make things "better" can make them worse, even while those in charge say everything's wonderful.

An easily digested presentation of history.

Enjoy!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A first hand account of 1960s China.

[Elisabeth Shi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good children’s book about the Chinese cultural revolution. Great images and an impactful personal story.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

A somber snapshot of growing up in China in the 70's. Realistic but age appropriate for little ones.

[Lainie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I as an adult found this not only educational, but very moving and powerful.

[Jody Cornelius · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very poignant book. Beautifully written and illustrated.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully told memoir of survival during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Introduces a hard time in history in a completely age appropriate way for its audience.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting topic, and topical. I would have liked a list of further reading.

[Marcia Van Camp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about the cultural revolution in China. Such a sad and dark time. This is a relatively mild way to introduce this part of history to kids.

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearing about the almost totalitarian way some people lived back in the day is always shocking to me.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A memoir in picture book form. Not for very young children -- I would recommend knowing your child and being prepared for questions. It hits the elements a child would see, violence, her father's arrest and her mother's depression, denunciations, lack of food, burning things to hide them, and more.

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read via a reader's copy.   This book is an interesting memoir of what one person's experiences during the Cultural Revolution was like. The illustrations are rich and are their own character, while supporting the story. Emotional and it is hard to pinpoint which event was the most emotional one. This is not an easy book to read, but an important one, and one that is actually hopeful in the middle of lack of hope. Might not be for the sensitive reader.