In Hungry Ghost (First Second, April 25), a “gorgeously wrought, therapeutic story filled with tenderness and honesty,” according to our reviewer, Victoria Ying introduces Valerie: a Chinese American teen struggling with disordered eating, unbeknownst to her family and friends. When Valerie is forced to step out of her routine, she must confront her mental health head on. Ying discussed her new graphic novel—one of the Best YA Books of 2023—with us over email.

Did you have any trepidation about approaching the subject of disordered eating for a YA audience?

Difficult topics are always less comfortable to discuss, but kids and teens are tackling these issues, and the worst thing would be to let them do it alone. I, for one, only recognized my own disordered eating from reading books by people who had also struggled. I knew that this book would be worthwhile because it would reflect an experience of ED that is outside the mainstream, and I hoped that some teens in this situation would feel seen.

What was the original idea that started you working on the book?

It all started with a difficult conversation I had with a loved one. There was a “script” in my head about how that conversation would go that was informed by popular media about ED, and I was shocked when the conversation went poorly. I knew that I couldn’t be the only person who’d reached out for help, only to be disappointed, and I wanted to show what that experience was like.

Who is the ideal reader for your book, and where would they be reading it?

My ideal reader is anyone who’s struggling with their body image and wants to know how to heal, even if they may not have traditional support systems. I hope that this book finds its way into libraries and that kids are able to read about these experiences and reflect on their own attitudes about bodies and beauty.

Were you able to do live events for the book this year? Any memorable highlights?

This was the first book that I was really able to do in-person events for, since my first authored books all came out during the pandemic! I was most excited to be at San Diego Comic-Con. I’d attended the show ever since I was a teen myself, and to be able to attend as an author was thrilling!

What books published in 2023 were among your favorites?

Deb JJ Lee’s In Limbo came out a month before my book, and I was blessed to be able to do some touring with them. The book is breathtakingly beautiful and so raw and honest. I’m in awe of everything they do. Ethan M. Aldridge’s Deephaven is a wonderful middle-grade horror novel. His prose debut is so inspiring and wonderfully spooky! I hope that he gets to do many more in the series. I also loved Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki. I aspire to their level of empathy.

Katherine King is an editorial intern.