The Egypt Game

Oct 13, 2010 Abigail rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone Who Played Imaginary Games as a Child...

Shelves: childrens-fiction, newbery, sweet-youth

Review Temporarily Removed.

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May 16, 2010 Larissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: re-reads, kinder, usa, nostalgia

I already had a sort of Egypt fixation when this book was read to me for the first time in 3rd grade. But this book took that fixation to a whole new level. For years, I read it over and over again. It...affected me. Because it implied that I wasn't the only dorky, bespectacled youth out there pouring over books about the mummification process (they pulled the brain out through the nose? awesome!), requesting that their mother construct 3D pyramind birthday cakes, and naming the neighbor's stray...more

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Nov 27, 2007 Nany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Stephanie, but she already read it!

>>> WARNING, SPOILER ! <<< *I think

This book really has a mixture of fun, sad and scary things ! When I started reading it, which was on my summer vacations, I liked it so much, I couldn't stop reading it. I think I read it in two days. It's so fantastic, how April, Melanie, Marshal, and then Elizabeth, and the two boys Toby and Ken create a society, which grows and grows. This book felt so magic. I spent like 15 min. laughing about Marshall, one of the biggest characters, whe...more

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Jan 18, 2009 Jessica (j*&p*) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anyone who likes kids' books

Shelves: 2009-books

This was my banned book for the WBC challenge. I actually found it buried in a box amongst the Baby-sitters Club, Sweet Valley Twins, A Wrinkle in Time and various other books I collected in my childhood, but I'd never read this one so I decided to pick it up after I saw it listed as a banned book.

It was a cute book about a girl named April, who has come to live with her grandmother whom she hardly knows after her flighty actress mother decides to go on tour sans her 11 year old daughter. Lost...more

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Aug 03, 2008 Michael Klein rated it 2 of 5 stars

A Newbury Honor Book? Really? While this was an interesting story, I found the children to not behave in the manner of actual children - speaking wisely beyond their years and with adult emotions - emotions we might like them to have, but that for the most part, they do not.

Interesting to note that the NY Times Book Review (quoted on the inside cover) says the author "[presents:] contemporary children as they talk and act on their own." Yeah, I don't think so.

The story, whlie interesting, is so...more

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712Jeremy This book is just awful, I fell asleep on page 22
Apr 08, 2012 05:22pm

Michelle I couldn't disagree with you more, sir. I read this book when I was only 9 years old and it took me about two days to do so. I could not put it down....more I couldn't disagree with you more, sir. I read this book when I was only 9 years old and it took me about two days to do so. I could not put it down. I was a little nerdy in that I always had an interest in ancient history, particularly Egypt, and I still do. I also loved playing the most imaginative games inside and outside my home.

I thrived for adventure and to explore, and my siblings as well as the kids in my neighborhood who were just as adventurous as me happily came along, whether we were playing in the woods in the summer or in the snow in the winter. Those are some of my best memories, and our "story lines" were certainly as complex as those in this novel. On rainy days, when I wasn't reading, I'd write endless stories myself. People do not give children credit, but I had many struggles of my own growing up that I was forced to overcome. When a child has to, (and when they are given the opportunity to use their imagination) they can be just as intellectual as an adult with twice the imagination.

And this video game nonsense is bull. the kids who are addicted to video games now were the antisocial ones in the 60's and they still are today but at least they have something to occupy their time. I am only 19 years old so trust me, I've owned and played my fair share of games but nothing beat my adventures until I finally did outgrow them and I see the same in the children I babysit for today. You could call me an exception and that I was nerdier than some kids, and in some ways that was true, but every kid has that side of them and it will come out if they are surrounded by the right people. My friends were not nerds; I am an athlete, I do well in college, and I go out on the weekends, but I had a love for adventure growing up and though I may have had more of a love than some, I certainly was not the only one.

I still love adventure and reading today, and when I get bored, I proudly pick up one of my favorite Harry Potter's over some corny teenage novel about over coming fake adversity (I've had enough of the real stuff in my own life, thank you very much), or falling in love with vampires, or being more immature and whiny than the children in the wonderful novel, "The Egypt Game." This novel was an escape and it was a book that let me be the adventurer I wanted to be even on a rainy day. I loved and related to it as a nine year old and I always will.(less)
updated May 04, 2012 09:56am

Dec 10, 2007 Jackie "the Librarian" rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: ages 8-14

Shelves: awardwinners, childrensbooks, mysteries, favorites

Great book! So many layers - family issues, friendships, imagination, social issues, and creepy suspense. April was such a great character, reacting to feeling abandoned by her mother with her creative use of false eyelashes. Thank goodness Melanie was her friend, and didn't let April wear those eyelashes to school!
I love all the details about the game, with everyone using their imaginations to recreate an Egyptian temple and all the rituals. All the relationships between the kids are so funny...more

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May 16, 2009 1leon added it · review of another edition

“Yea we bad we killahs! Yo you want me to tell you how we kill crabs”. These are the words in a book banned in schools. Just one of the many reasons books are banned that was an example of a book banned because of its violence. Other reasons books are banned are strong sexual content which is just unacceptable for students. Are you there god? Is a book banned based on religious reasons and there are many more like in the world today.

Violence something that happens in our neighborhoods everyday a...more “Yea we bad we killahs! Yo you want me to tell you how we kill crabs”. These are the words in a book banned in schools. Just one of the many reasons books are banned that was an example of a book banned because of its violence. Other reasons books are banned are strong sexual content which is just unacceptable for students. Are you there god? Is a book banned based on religious reasons and there are many more like in the world today.

Violence something that happens in our neighborhoods everyday and that isn’t enough. Our kids must read about in a place which is supposed to teach how to succeed in life not go to jail. Another story talked of boys that were actually burned to death. These type of stories make it seems as its okay for the vicious acts to take place.

Strong sexual content are in many books that are banned and there banned because sexuality shouldn’t take place in the school district. That something for parents to discuss with their kids or whoever their legal guardian is. In one absurd story it was actually stated “it swallows the penis and regurgitates it limp”. In after a student read some of this book they actually stated that this book taught us that sex is fun good and the student also it’s something she wanted to experience for herself after reading this story.

Religion something that isn’t allowed in school. If it’s not allowed in school why books knocking religion should such as "are you there god?" be allowed in school? How about the books that teach students of the occult and promotes witchcraft. It shouldn’t be allowed in school especially if books that promote religion aren’t allowed in schools. It’s only fair either you get rid of both types of books or you let both kinds of books be read.

So controversial books should be banned some are banned for great reasons and some are banned just because. The point is some books just shouldn’t be read by certain ages or shouldn’t be read in certain places. Books teaching kids violence could be the book that teaches your kid how to take a life. Books with strong sexual content maybe the book that help your daughter get a STD or get raped. Also books bashing religion could be the book that turns your son atheist. These books should be banned and there are no if ,ands, or buts about it
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May 11, 2013 Pam rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-chapter

I read this book because it has been described as a classic which I missed back in 1967. I both love this book and have qualms about it. For the first third of the book, it moved too slowly for me and I almost stopped reading it, but I am very glad I did not as by the end I thought, "What a great book."

I loved the diverse group of characters and the interesting neighborhood where they lived, which for a book published in 1967 were amazing for the diversity. I also loved the concept of the child...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Vianey Sanchez added it · review of another edition

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Genre: Mystery, Traditional Literature, Contemporary
Interest level: Grades 6-8
Guided reading: X
Lexile level: 1010
Setting: Backyard of a local store
Main Characters: Melanie, April, Marshall
POV: 3rd person

Summary: The Egypt Game concentrates on two 6th graders, April Hall and Melanie Ross who create an elaborate imaginary game in the backyard of a local store that focuses on the wonders and magic of Ancient Egypt. April moved from Hollywood where she lived a...more The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Genre: Mystery, Traditional Literature, Contemporary
Interest level: Grades 6-8
Guided reading: X
Lexile level: 1010
Setting: Backyard of a local store
Main Characters: Melanie, April, Marshall
POV: 3rd person

Summary: The Egypt Game concentrates on two 6th graders, April Hall and Melanie Ross who create an elaborate imaginary game in the backyard of a local store that focuses on the wonders and magic of Ancient Egypt. April moved from Hollywood where she lived a glamorous life with her actress mother to live with her grandmother. It is in this small town that she befriends Melanie Ross and the two find that they both have a love for Ancient Egypt and become best friends. Soon after creating the Egypt Game, they welcome Melanie’s brother Marshall, a neighbor Elizabeth and two boys from school Toby and Ken. They continue to play this game and their friendship gets stronger as the story unfolds, which lead them to creating other games surrounding other cultures.

Classroom use: The Egypt Game is a book used in my 6th grade classroom and I’ve seen it implemented in a very beneficial way. First of all, a book like this, since it is focused on history, can be easily linked to social studies class since the first quarter is on Ancient Egypt. This book allows for the use of background knowledge, and application of comprehension skills such as predicting, inferencing, and organizing information, as I’ve used in my classroom. Not only do students learn about Egypt but they’re able to make connections to what they already know and are learning social studies (as has been the case for my students) therefore making it a much more rich learning experience. There are aspects of this book that make the storyline suspenseful others comedic and include mysterious characters which keep the students highly interested throughout. It touches upon the themes of friendship, being new to a group, identity, prejudice, community, neighborhood safety and more.
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Sep 16, 2012 Nicole Lamb rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Junior Book Critique #1

The Egypt Game
BY: Zilpha Keatley Snyder

1. Junior Book Genre: Contemporary Realism

2. Brief Summary: The Egypt Game concentrates on the friendships and dynamic young characters that create an elaborate game in the backyard of a local store that focuses on the wonders and magic of Ancient Egypt. The main character April Hall, though she calls herself April Dawn, moved from Hollywood where she lived a glamorous life with her actress mother Dorothea to live at Casa Rosada with...more Junior Book Critique #1

The Egypt Game
BY: Zilpha Keatley Snyder

1. Junior Book Genre: Contemporary Realism

2. Brief Summary: The Egypt Game concentrates on the friendships and dynamic young characters that create an elaborate game in the backyard of a local store that focuses on the wonders and magic of Ancient Egypt. The main character April Hall, though she calls herself April Dawn, moved from Hollywood where she lived a glamorous life with her actress mother Dorothea to live at Casa Rosada with her grandmother Caroline. It is in this small town that she befriends Melanie Ross and the two find that their common love for Egypt bonds them together as best friends. Soon after creating the elaborate imaginary game of Egypt they welcome Melanie’s brother Marshall (with his stuffed octopus Security), a neighbor Elizabeth and two boys from school Toby and Ken. Though the local murder of a young student their age halts the game for a time, the six resume play and recreate the wondrous myths and history of Egypt while forming the lasting bonds of friendship that leads to the future exploration of other cultures.

3.
A. Area for comment: While it is difficult to choose one main aspect of this story that is noteworthy since it integrates a number of elements of traditional storytelling so vividly, the main area of distinction is ultimately the use of vivid descriptions to build plot, character development and relationships. Zilpha Keatley Snyder does an excellent job at describing the characters personalities and physical characteristics, as well as, their passion and enthusiasm for the game they created.

B. Professional Evaluation: Although The Egypt Game is an much older Newberry Honor book I had yet to ever have the opportunity to read and experience the joy found in this book. Zilpha Keatley Snyder has been honored for her contributions to literature a number of times and this novel is evidence of why she is so respected in the world of children’s/young adult literature. The Egypt Game does a phenomenal job at truly bringing the audience along the journey of these two best friends and the eventual group of six vibrant and personable young students. The passion and enthusiasm that these children display for learning about and experience the “true” Egypt is intoxicating as you feel, as the audience, a part of the experience. It is also Snyder’s use of vibrant character descriptions that assists in getting to know these six young students and feeling a part of their experiences. Overall, I found this book to be fun, intriguing and brilliant and would be a great piece of literature to integrate into any classroom environment.

C. Specific Example: It is evident throughout the novel that the characters and their thoughts and experiences were central to the overall plot. Snyder does a fantastic job at using descriptive words to make the characters feel as real to the reader as possible. For example, Synder’s description of April’s Halloween costume displays her dedication to the authenticity of her passion for Egypt: “April looked great. She was wearing her Egyptian headdress and under her sheer jeweled robe she had on the short tunic made of a pillowcase. Around the bottom of the pillowcase there were Egyptian-looking decorations done in red and black crayon…her false eyelashes were on straight, and she had heavy black makeup that made her eyes look long and mysterious (p 83-84).” This exceptional imagery can also be found during the chapter on the Ceremony of the Dead in which Toby and Ken experienced their first “real” Egyptian Ceremony and “it was Toby who suggested that they march around the alter, beating their chests and sprinkling their heads with ashes and wailing (p. 135).” These two short examples demonstrate the children’s passion for their game, as well as, the brilliant description that Synder uses to engage her audience.

4. Curriculum Connection: The most intriguing aspect of this junior book is its ability to cross the curriculum through the integration of social studies and language arts. There are a number of connections that can be made when reading The Egypt Game especially if studying a unit on Egyptian culture and history since the main characters highlight a number of ceremonies, traditions and cultural understandings of Egypt. There are also a number of connections that can be made regarding specific language arts themes such as plot development, the use of simile and metaphors, and the use of vivid descriptions when creating authentic characters. It is without a doubt that this junior book can be a huge asset in the classroom to reinforce the love of learning about various cultures, history and language arts.
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Aug 30, 2012 Amanda Richards rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-favorites, children, re-read, youngadult

This one was one of my favorite books when I was younger. I remember reading it in the 6th grade with one of my best friends. We were already obsessed with Egypt and this just added to our repertoire of games to be played. That is until our mothers found out about the game and were certain that we were worshiping ancient deities...

The book was just as I had remembered it, amazing. It still held my attention and still made me think fondly of my own adventure *in* Egypt.

I learned first hand about...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tween-books, magical-realism

This book is set in the modern day focusing on modern-day children who find Egypt fascinating, which helps teach readers about what Ancient Egyptians were like. These children focus on the aspects of Ancient Egypt that are the most intriguing to children, such as gods, rituals, mummification, and other practices that we do not know a lot about or that are very different from what we do today. This grabs the reader’s attention and helps them experience the mystery and excitement of Ancient Egypti...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just reread this book with my nine year old daughter and I think I enjoyed it even more this time because of her enthusiasm. In a world where kids spend most of their time on electronics, it is so refreshing to read about children actually playing and creating their own imaginary world. Granted this book was written almost 50 years ago, but it sparked an imagination in my daughter that carried over to her friends and they created their own "Egypt Game" at school during recess. She now wants to...more

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Feb 28, 2012 jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, yaf

I loved this book as a kid. I recently learned there's a sequel, so I decided to re-read the Egypt Game before I read the sequel. I was worried that it wouldn't hold up to my childhood memories. I was especially concerned that the way the kids treat different cultures might come across as flat or awkward or, frankly, xenophobic or bigoted. I'm a lot more sensitive about that stuff these days. I won't champion this book as a bastion of cultural diversity, but I think it was okay / good enough in...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Nenia Campbell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: x-1960s, ya-baby-ya

In order to love this book, you have to be a certain kind of kid. I was fascinated with Egyptian culture as a child (and also dinosaurs - but that's another story). How fascinated? Well.
-I made my mother tape the documentary "Pyramid" (1988), hosted by David Macaulay, which I then proceeded to watch over and over until the tape wore out.
-I received a "learn to write in ancient Egyptian" stamp set, which I dutifully pored over and used to write secret messages.
-When I realized that normal paper d...more In order to love this book, you have to be a certain kind of kid. I was fascinated with Egyptian culture as a child (and also dinosaurs - but that's another story). How fascinated? Well.
-I made my mother tape the documentary "Pyramid" (1988), hosted by David Macaulay, which I then proceeded to watch over and over until the tape wore out.
-I received a "learn to write in ancient Egyptian" stamp set, which I dutifully pored over and used to write secret messages.
-When I realized that normal paper didn't quite cut it, I used butcher paper (aka "papyrus"), which I rolled up into scrolls. After asking for - and being denied - my own personal wax-seals, I decided to use stickers.
-At age seven, I went to our Halloween party as queen Cleopatra. And yes, before you ask, I did act like a little miss. I probably thought I was queen; I was a very entitled child (in my mind).
-I made my mother buy Joseph King of Dreams and Prince of Egypt, and sang "LET MY PEOPLE GO!" in a very loud (and probably off-key voice) until I'm sure my mother regretted having children at all, let alone one who was obsessed with Egypt and quite possibly mad.
-Years and years and years later, when we went to the Louvre, I made a beeline for the collections of ancient Egyptian pottery and art. And stayed there. And read all the plaques. Until I had to be dragged out by the ear.

So yes, I was a little obsessed. And my little friends didn't share my obsessions. They didn't want to play "museum" or "archaeology" or "ghost mystery." They wanted to play with Barbies and talk about boys (which I did, too, a little. Okay, okay... a lot). Reading this book was affirmation that, yes, it's okay to be nerdy. In fact, being nerdy gets you adventures AND nerdy friends! It's a double-whammy!

I don't remember a lot of the books I read as a child, but this is one that's stayed with me over the years because of how good it was, and because it has a haunting quality that gives you goosebumps. Ancient gods and goddesses are like that - mysterious and a little scary. It says something that you still think about them with a sense of awe thousands of years later, when they're out of circulation.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone with precocious children. And if you haven't read it and you're an adult, you'd probably like it, too. There's something timeless about this book that makes you think of your own childhood, regardless of the decade. Nostalgia, ho!(less)

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Nov 30, 2011 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recall a teacher reading this book, but couldn't quite remember much else. I love Egypt and everything that comes with it. It's a unique culture from a different time, filled with pharaohs, pyramids, and mummies. And the children in this story are equally enthralled with Egyptology.

They go to the library to research it, role play pharaohs, gods, and servants. They even play Egyptians for Halloween. But, while they are having fun...a murderer is on the loose who kills children. The children's...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Mariah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book in the third or fourth grade for the first time, and I've always remembered it as one of my childhood favourites. Some reviews have suggested that the children are too unlike actual children (in terms of emotional maturity for the most part) to offer young readers relatability, but I couldn't disagree more. Children strive to meet expectations and I think that presenting smart, mature, creative characters working together to generate a fantasy world of historical exploration can...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Christopher Stilson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, thriller, children, young-adult

For one attempting to introduce schoolchildren to a combined love of history and reading, I can think of no better source. I first had this story read to me in the early days of third grade as an introduction to a unit on Egyptian history, and not only did it serve to interest me in the subject, but the book itself compelled me to borrow and reread it multiple times, something few books up to that point had done. I won't credit this book for my enduring love of reading, but of all the books I re...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Sara Thompson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Two things ran through my head as I read this book 1). I had read this book as a kid and 2). this book was on the 2009-2010 banned books list for occult themes. I didn't exactly remember the book but there were little passages that caught at my memory. The biggest thing was I had read the book during the same time "Walk Like an Egyptian" was popular - which also caused that song to pop into my head at random times as I re-read the book.
As for the banned booked issue - I found that really sad be...more Two things ran through my head as I read this book 1). I had read this book as a kid and 2). this book was on the 2009-2010 banned books list for occult themes. I didn't exactly remember the book but there were little passages that caught at my memory. The biggest thing was I had read the book during the same time "Walk Like an Egyptian" was popular - which also caused that song to pop into my head at random times as I re-read the book.
As for the banned booked issue - I found that really sad because this is a really good book. It doesn't encourage children to suddenly worship the devil (or Egyptian Gods), it encourages imagination, play and learning but I'll get more into that in a moment.
The book I have in my hand says the copyright date is 1976 but has a note about being a 1968 Newberry Honor. I don't know when it was first written/published and the only importance about that is that some of the language is a little odd, especially since one of the main characters is a Negro girl. Negro is just not a word you hear all that often in modern literature. Aside from a little language "barrier" you would not guess that this book wasn't a modern book. The kids don't own cell phones or play on the computer but then so many fun tales omit this part of our culture anyway (Harry Potter wasn't looking up spells on Google).
The story follows twelve year old April as she is forced to live with her Grandmother in an apartment in some place that is not exactly disclosed but doesn't seem to have snow. April's mother is a starlet in the making and has sent April off so she can make her career. April has an amazing imagination and makes fast friends with Melanie, a girl in her apartment building.
In exploring her new neighborhood, April (and Melanie) discover a magic land (okay it's the yard behind an antique store). This yard is only accessible through a broken part of the fence. In the yard, the find a bust of Nefertiti which sends the girls on an adventure starting at the local library. They learn everything they can about Egypt and play act it out in the yard with Melanie's 4 year old brother Marshall.
I can see where some people might think that pretending to be ancient Egyptians is occult like but the truth is everything they play is rooted in fact. They pretend to be Priestesses and even include a few other kids from the neighborhood. They don't believe it's real. Every story must have a climax and this one begins when a child in the neighborhood is murdered and everyone believes it's the old man at the antique store. The kids are stuck between trying to be safe and continuing a game that makes these children feel at home.
It's a really good story and I am so glad that Ms Snyder wrote a sequel which I will be picking up next. I was a really imaginative child and having people who understood that imagination would have been the best treat I could ever have had - not all of us are so lucky to have friends who would recreate a world with you. For those who might be concerned - at no time do the children believe it's real, however when they add in the Oracle, they begin to wonder if they have gone too far. (less)

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May 28, 2011 Nobies57 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: realistic-fiction

Aprils mother has abandoned her.....like Gilly Hopkins, like _________, she has gone off to become a star and will send for her when there is money. Not surprisingly, her mother does not write and she does not come for her. Instead April, who definitely colors outside of the lines, is sent to live in an apartment with her grandmother who doesn't know how to connect with her. April's not easy. She's angry and she lies. April makes friends with Melanie, the girl upstairs, and together they build t...more

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Sep 01, 2010 Lars Guthrie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are so many things to like about this extraordinary book that I had somehow missed previously. I'm actually not sure if I had read it completely through before, probably because it is another novel that I consider over-assigned in schools.

'The Egypt Game' also carries the burden of being dated. It was published in 1967 when kids said "neat" a lot more and had to go to the library to find out about ancient Egypt, instead of looking online. No cell phones here. Of course, that could be viewe...more There are so many things to like about this extraordinary book that I had somehow missed previously. I'm actually not sure if I had read it completely through before, probably because it is another novel that I consider over-assigned in schools.

'The Egypt Game' also carries the burden of being dated. It was published in 1967 when kids said "neat" a lot more and had to go to the library to find out about ancient Egypt, instead of looking online. No cell phones here. Of course, that could be viewed as a plus.

'Imagination is a great thing in long dull hours, but it’s a real curse in a dark alley…,' Snyder tells us, and those words are the key to a story where a darker reality, one not found in most children's books, lurks in the dusty shadows of a town not unlike Berleley, California.

What you imagine is never senseless. While it can help you escape your troubles, it can't rescue you. What can rescue you are friends and protectors. Paradoxically, imagination can lead you to them. What better theme for a children's novel than the limitations, as well as the saving graces, of imagination.

The protagonist of 'Egypt Game' is a delightfully complex sixth grader, April Hall, willful, stubborn, clever, ready to fight at the slightest of challenges, insecure, vulnerable, and the possessor of a powerful and active imagination, and a high sense of drama. When her mother decides a singing and acting career comes ahead of a daughter, April resentfully goes off to live with her grandmother.

Moving into the Casa Rosada apartment building, though, is the beginning of a close connection with Melanie Ross, the luckiest of friendships for April. Melanie is April's match in intelligence and imagination, and far wiser in social matters. It is her influence that helps April to negotiate a new home, a new neighborhood, and a new school.

April's protectors are found in unlikely places. One turns out to be Melanie's self-assured and laconic little brother, Marshall. Another is located in the same dusty shadows where evil hides.

That is just the beginning of an engaging and expansive cast of characters, of different ages and races. Snyder manages to instill something evocative and real in even the most minor of them, as well as to impart a sense of wonder about ancient Egypt and its mythology that sparked my curiosity, and made 'The Egypt Game' a good companion piece to 'The Red Pyramid.' She also tells a great story.

Highly recommended.
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Mar 03, 2010 Morgan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Melanie Ross and April Hall are two girls you would never expect to form a close friendship. April is an only child from Hollywood who has never spent much time around other kids. She wears false eyelashes, swept-up hair, and a fake feathered boa wrap. She is snooty and insecure. Her mother is trying to be a movie actress and has paid scant attention to her daughter so far in life. The book begins when her mother dumps her off with her grandmother for an indefinite amount of time. Melanie is dow...more

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Feb 14, 2010 Kathleen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile

First published in 1967, this book was written around the time I was the same age as the youngest member of the characters. It was awarded a Newbery Honor in its day and I think I can figure out why. It features a cast of characters that is diverse, and a neighborhood that is a little run down and seedy, and single mothers (and grandmothers) raising their children. Coming off the 1950s Leave It to Beaver Generation, this book would have seemed pretty edgy.

I think it doesn't play as well with cur...more

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Dec 22, 2009 Kaycee added it · review of another edition

At first I did not like this book at all but because it was assigned I had to keep reading. I liked it the more I read on. I personally think it would be fun to be in the Egypt game. However mummifying a parakeet not so much.
When the book first introduced April I thought she seemed quite spoiled and I don’t know how she thought she was cool that way it only wade her seem weirder. My first impression of Melanie was that she liked things to be orderly and I was partially right. The more I read in...more

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May 15, 2009 3ThomasGorman rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My opinion of banned books should not be banned. I think the reader should read whatever they want to read. But we have parents who propose books with violence, sexual content; language and so on feel as though this is inappropriate for their children.

One of the main reason books are banned to my opinion is because of sexual content. I believe this is the main reason books are banned because it talks about adults or children showing their private parts of their bodies and adults feel as though...more

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Jun 09, 2013 David Bonesteel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Six children create an imaginative game in which they become pharoahs, priests and priestesses of Egypt in a forgotten yard that they have transformed into their own version of that ancient land. The game becomes their cherished secret, forming a bond between them. Soon, the ugliness of reality intrudes and threatens to destroy their shared fantasy.

My only quarrel with this book is that author Zilpha Keatly Snyder does not fully exploit the mysterious atmosphere of her story. At times, the narra...more

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Jun 07, 2012 Audrey Ettinger rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had read this as a child, and reread it after taking it out of the library for my 9 year old son. It is most notable for capturing what childhood _used_ to be like -- even with a murderer in the neighborhood, a 9 year old is considered a suitable babysitter for a 4 year old (who is picked up from school and supervised each afternoon by his 9 year old sister and her friend), boys and girls still play together in 5th grade (albeit discreetly), kids wander their neighborhood from morning until ni...more

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Oct 08, 2010 Alissa rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, award-winners, kids-books, re-read, nostolgia

Makes a good follow-up to Rick Riordan's "Red Pyramid"... although not nearly as involved.

I read this one in 3rd grade. It was on the "Banned and Challenged" book display and my parents, always being advocates of allowing me to explore and talk about any and all ideas (even controversial ones), picked it out for me to read. I remember loving it.

Still DO love it, in fact!

True that the way the characters behave is a bit dated and, therefore, kids of today may find it hard to relate (a complaint m...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Carin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, women-authors

This is one children's classic that I remember seeing on various summer reading lists as a child... and skipping. I don't know why exactly, but Egypt just didn't appeal to me. Now, I have filled this gap in my children's lit knowledge!

April has moved in with her grandmother Caroline, after her mother in Hollywood has gone on tour. April is convinced she'll be rejoining her mother soon, but she does make friends with Melanie in Caroline's apartment building. April and Melanie, along with Melanie'...more

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Feb 12, 2012 TheFountainPenDiva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: characters-black-heroines, characters-chinese-heroines, books-that-are-keepers

When I first came across this book in 1975, I was seven years-old and was totally into everything ancient Egypt. I'd seen the King Tut exhibit twice, read everything both fact and fiction about the civilization and was so geeky that I tought myself to write in hieroglyphics (which was fun when it came to passing secret messages). Imagine my delight when the wonderful librarian at my elementary school (I wish I could remember her name because she helped feed my Egypt fix) gave me this book. I lit...more When I first came across this book in 1975, I was seven years-old and was totally into everything ancient Egypt. I'd seen the King Tut exhibit twice, read everything both fact and fiction about the civilization and was so geeky that I tought myself to write in hieroglyphics (which was fun when it came to passing secret messages). Imagine my delight when the wonderful librarian at my elementary school (I wish I could remember her name because she helped feed my Egypt fix) gave me this book. I literally devoured it overnight and re-read it as many time as I could before it was due. It was the first time I ever considered stealing a library book because I was so in love with it and didn't want to give it back! Luckily I didn't have to since she gave it to me.

It's a rather simple premise really: a bunch of very imaginative kids, most of whom are misfits, get together and create their own ancient Egyptian-styled world, complete with homemade costumes and props scrounged from the junk found in the abandoned back area where they created their "Egypt". There's a creepy old man who runs a thrift-antique store and a murder mystery, and even a dark and stormy night.

Melanie and her brother Marshall (with his stuffed toy octopus), April, Elizabeth, Ken and Toby were the childhood friends I longed for. Melanie was me. Even now, forty-something years later this book feels timeless, even with the anachronistic use of the word "negroes" (which only appears twice in the narrative) to describe Melanie and Marshall who are black. Hey, this was the late 60's and yes, we were called "negro" back then, though "black" and "afro-American" were slowly coming into wider use.

This book was written in 1967 during the turbulent 60's. The struggle for equal rights was in full swing. What made The Egypt Game stand out from so many books at the time was the ethnic diversity of the characters, something the YA genre is woefully behind on even now. When I read about Melanie Ross, it's as if Ms. Snyder had been watching me, this geeky black girl with pigtails as my eyes lit up over color-it-yourself tomb paintings and my cut-out pictures of King Tut's funeral mask from National Geographic. I had a role model and a kindred spirit.

With some books, the diversity aspect is just there or just window dressing. There are authors who throw in an ethnic character or two and have them do nothing throughout the narrative. Ms. Snhyder didn't do that. These were smart kids from diverse backgrounds who didn't see color as much as they saw kindred spirits in their love of a magnificent ancient culture, and yet they're still kids (although perhaps a little smarter than their peers).

I've always dreamed that someone who loved this book as much I do would make this a movie or a series. On the other hand, considering Hollywood's penchant for fucking up the most beloved of stories (with a few notable exceptions), I'm actually glad they haven't. I could just imagine the entire cast turned into The Last Airbender type fail. Maybe it's best that my beloved and dog-eared The Egypt Game stays the magical book it has always been.(less)

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