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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
I had to read this book for school, and I enjoyed it. I am interested in all types of ancient mythology and I learned a bit from this book. 3 stars.
What seemed like a flimsy premise was somehow kept alive with a childlike sense of wonder and intrigue.
Another one of those books that have stuck with me since childhood. Full of adventure, mystery, magic, and mischief, this gripping story keeps you wrapped up in its plot like a mummy in linen.
Great story! Makes me a little sad that so many kids today cannot enjoy the freedom to just go outside, play, and use their imaginations.
I think I read this book in fourth grade. I remember liking it, because it had mystery in it and I was in a CSI phase of life. It sparked my interest in Egypt, but not by a lot. That was what made me disappointed in the book. It was that it didn't move me to like Egypt that much. I know that's bad, but I read this soon after reading PJ&O, so that was kind of a let down. Hopefully, I'll read it again sometime this year.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Underrated gem!
I wish I had other Egypt kids when I was growing up. :-)
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
It was a good story about kids coming together via their imaginations.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Kidnapping
The Egypt Game is easily Zilpha Keatley Snyder's most famous work, and there's little mistaking why: it's a fantastic story and expertly written. The book represents the zenith of a number of themes and ideas Snyder has worked with across almost five decades of a career, along with the introduction of a multiculturalism apparent in many of her later stories. This one has probably found its way into school curricula for that reason and two others - the "educational" nature of the children's game, and the rare introduction of a truly dark, dangerous undercurrent in the form of a child's murder - but that doesn't stop it being an extraordinary book on its own merits.
This is the book that, more than any other, really quickly demonstrates Snyder's adept skill at understanding the language and methodology of children. You have several very distinct character types - the lonely girl with the selfish front, the practical and considerate girl, the quiet and kind girl, the older-than-his-years toddler, the big jocks - working through problems together, whether those be real or totally imaginary. Snyder never talks down to us as readers (as usual, her lack of need for an overt narrative voice is remarkable), nor does she attempt to tell us how children should behave. She simply reports what they would do, quite naturally, and finds characteristic reasons to encourage or discourage certain behavior. At one point during their Egyptian rituals, one child suggests signing their names in blood, as she had read in Tom Sawyer. The children abandon the idea not because such an idea might be dangerous or unwise, but because they haven't got a sharp needle to hand - and besides, one of the children feels a bit squeamish over the idea. It's simple, but it indicates an authenticity of audience that Snyder can pull off like few others. She may have been a teacher, but there's nothing of the preachy "teacher" voice in Snyder's work.
Of course, more than anything, The Egypt Game is simply a great read. I loved it at eight or nine years old and was astonished how well it holds up after all these years. Several times I laughed out loud in the reading (as with Toby's Halloween costume), and more than once I found myself saying, "She managed to do that in a children's book?"
This is a really wonderful work and deserves to be enjoyed by many more generations of readers, both young and old.
This is the book that, more than any other, really quickly demonstrates Snyder's adept skill at understanding the language and methodology of children. You have several very distinct character types - the lonely girl with the selfish front, the practical and considerate girl, the quiet and kind girl, the older-than-his-years toddler, the big jocks - working through problems together, whether those be real or totally imaginary. Snyder never talks down to us as readers (as usual, her lack of need for an overt narrative voice is remarkable), nor does she attempt to tell us how children should behave. She simply reports what they would do, quite naturally, and finds characteristic reasons to encourage or discourage certain behavior. At one point during their Egyptian rituals, one child suggests signing their names in blood, as she had read in Tom Sawyer. The children abandon the idea not because such an idea might be dangerous or unwise, but because they haven't got a sharp needle to hand - and besides, one of the children feels a bit squeamish over the idea. It's simple, but it indicates an authenticity of audience that Snyder can pull off like few others. She may have been a teacher, but there's nothing of the preachy "teacher" voice in Snyder's work.
Of course, more than anything, The Egypt Game is simply a great read. I loved it at eight or nine years old and was astonished how well it holds up after all these years. Several times I laughed out loud in the reading (as with Toby's Halloween costume), and more than once I found myself saying, "She managed to do that in a children's book?"
This is a really wonderful work and deserves to be enjoyed by many more generations of readers, both young and old.
I read this for the first time as an adult, but it really brought back feelings of being a child (in a good way!). I would have loved this book when I was a kid and it was still a pretty solid read now.