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A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales
 
 
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A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts: A Collection of Deliciously Frightening Tales [Hardcover]

Ying Chang Compestine (Author), Coleman Polhemus (Illustrator)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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Book Description

October 27, 2009
According to Chinese tradition, those who die hungry or unjustly come back to haunt the living. Some are appeased with food. But not all ghosts are successfully mollified. In this chilling collection of stories,Ying Chang Compestine takes readers on a journey through time and across different parts of China. From the building of the GreatWall in 200 BCE to themodern day of iPods, hungry ghosts continue to torment those who wronged them.

At once a window into the history and culture of China and an ode to Chinese cuisine, this assortment of frightening tales—complete with historical notes and delectable recipes—will both scare and satiate!

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6–9—In this collection of gruesome ghost stories, Compestine takes readers through China's history, from the building of the Great Wall to the modern day. Organized like a traditional Chinese banquet, with each story as a dish, the tales revolve around the spirits of those who died unfairly and prematurely. Most feature murder victims exacting their revenge, usually disposing of their killers. These stories are not only deliciously frightening but also introduce readers to ancient and modern Chinese customs and beliefs. The author postscripts each selection with background about something in the tale such as the resurgence of Buddhist temples, insect fights, or exotic delicacies. Food plays a prominent role in each tale, and Compestine includes a recipe with the back matter for each story. Polhemus's black-and-white atmospheric illustrations add to the spookiness. Not for the fainthearted, these offerings are a step beyond Alvin Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (HarperCollins, 1986).—Jennifer Rothschild, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Compestine (Boy Dumplings, 2009) presents an eight-course offering of chilling tales honoring Chinese food and ghost lore. It is believed that those who die without a decent last meal or were wronged in death come back to seek revenge. The book, divided into appetizers, main courses, and desserts, centers chapters around individual dishes, for which Compestine generously provides a recipe, along with a cultural note relevant to events in the story. Most of the tales are more gory than spooky, and the juxtaposition of recipes for beef stew and steamed shrimp dumplings with stories of harvested organs and cannibalized Great Wall workers turns the stomach a bit. It’s not discernable whether the sensationalism of some dishes, such as brains from a living monkey, will help or harm the demystification of Chinese tradition among young readers, but they certainly won’t walk away without having learned something new. Grades 6-8. --Courtney Jones

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  • Hardcover: 192 pages
  • Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition edition (October 27, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0805082085
  • ISBN-13: 978-0805082081
  • Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 4 x 0.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #889,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ying Chang Compestine is the author of 16 books, including A Banquet for Hungry Ghosts, a collection of frightening Chinese ghost stories, and the award winning novel, Revolution is not a Dinner Party, which has received twenty-eight awards, including the ALA Best Books and Notable Books. Ying has been featured on numerous national television and radio programs and in magazines and newspapers. She is the spokesperson for Nestle Maggi and Celestial Seasonings and a frequent contributor to many national magazines.

Ying has visited schools throughout the US and abroad, sharing with students her journey as a writer, how her life in China inspired her writing, and the challenges of writing in her second language. She has lectured on a variety of subjects at writer's conferences and universities, and aboard cruise ships.

Ying is available to talk about her books to book clubs in person, by telephone or online. Ying was born and raised in Wuhan, China. Her website is: www.yingc.com

 

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars What a clever, clever book!, March 23, 2011
By 
Sunny R "Random Reader" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
What a wonderful book to read and enjoy. Not only has Miss Compestine used her own experiences and memories from her youth to help spin these delightful tales, she has also included Chinese history and fables and a delicious selection of Chinese influenced recipes. The stories were fun and had the right tone for young adults. And I loved how each story ended with a comparison to actual history in China and a recipe. I can't wait to try the recipes myself! They all seemed easy and delicious.
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