The Egypt Game

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder | Children's Books |
ISBN: 0440422256 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingbookhunter21wing of Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on 5/4/2007
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
8 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingbookhunter21wing from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Friday, May 4, 2007
Newbery Honor book--registering this for the Newbery rings round 4. (different cover)

From the back:
"The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she's not sure they'll have anything in common. But she soon discovers they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a deserted storage yard behind the A-Z Antiques and Curio Shop, Melanie and April decide it's the perfect spot for the Egypt Game.

Before long there are six Egyptians instead of two. After school and on weekends they all meet to wear costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their secret code.

Everyone thinks it's just a game, until strange things begin happening to the players. Has the Egypt Game gone too far?"

I loved the descriptions of the "Game" and the imaginative episodes in the backyard Egypt. The children's characters were very well-drawn and detailed. The adult characters were very subtle; I am not sure if children would grasp the love and wisdom of April's grandmother. It's great that April is appreciated for her great imagination and courage and ultimately finds a home and great friends. There is even a bit of a mystery story. I thought these children were believable, in particular their reaction to the neighborhood murder seemed accurate--the adults worried, but typically the kids felt more invincible and viewed themselves as "prisoners of [the adults'] fear."

Journal Entry 2 by wingbookhunter21wing from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Sent today to Rosalinde. Enjoy!


Here is the Newbery ring order:

bookhunter21
Rosalinde
knitwit
dancing-dog
spacedog
yokaye
tuff517
Back to me--bookhunter21 !

Journal Entry 3 by Rosalinde from Buffalo, Minnesota USA on Thursday, May 24, 2007
Received along with The Witches of Worn. Will read soon!

Journal Entry 4 by Rosalinde from Buffalo, Minnesota USA on Friday, May 25, 2007
I started this one first, as I love Egyptology. It was a quick read, too. The Egypt Game took me back to the days in childhood when the world of imagination was sometimes more real than the real world. Back in the 60's, there really wasn't much for kids to do but play together. When they wanted to learn something, they went to the library; not the internet! I enjoyed this one, though IMO it lacked he depth that Newberry books often have, although this is an Honor Book. There was some danger, but it wasn't dark. I did like how this portrayed kids with different backgrounds, ages and races and never a hint of prejudice. It was a fun read, almost makes me wish I was a kid again!

Journal Entry 5 by knitwit from Yardley, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, July 16, 2007
Arrived Friday or Saturday while we were away. I shall read it as soon as I can and get it in the mail to the next reader as quickly as I can.

Journal Entry 6 by knitwit from Yardley, Pennsylvania USA on Monday, July 30, 2007
I loved this book! I would have loved it as a kid too and it should have been popular when I was young but I never knew anything about it until my oldest son recommended it to me last year. I enjoyed seeing the kids use their imaginiations and really get in to their subject and work hard at understanding it. I shall try to find a copy for my middle child - I think he'll like it as much as I did.

Off to dancing-dog tomorrow.



Journal Entry 7 by dancing-dog from Cordova, Tennessee USA on Wednesday, August 8, 2007
This arrived yesterday - looks interesting. I''ve only just now realized that bookhunter''s offerings this time are by the same author!

Journal Entry 8 by dancing-dog from Cordova, Tennessee USA on Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Enjoyed this one. Brought me back to my childhood a little when my sister and I used to have our own very imaginative games too - LOL, we also created our own paper doll families! I liked how the book concentrated on the children yet at the same time it bothered me a little that the parents weren't involved more, especially April's grandmother. Like Rosalinde, I really liked that the group bridged sex, age and race. I think the freedom the children in this book had would be more curtailed today and given the circumstances perhaps the children had a little too much free rein.

Off to read the other book now then these will go to spacedog.

Update - spacedog has asked to be skipped for now & put on the bottom of the list for this book. This will travel on to yokaye instead. Mailed 8/27

Journal Entry 9 by yokaye on Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Arrived alongside The Witches of Worm. Both look very good, but I think I'll have to read this one first. I'm almost done with my current Newbery ring read (Smoky the Cowhorse) so I should get to this soon.

Thanks!

Journal Entry 10 by DaraLeigh on Sunday, October 7, 2007
My mom (yokaye) let me read this after she did, and its a great book.

The Egypt Game was mysterious funny and very good. There was four kids that play and act that they play in someone's storage yard but on Halloween two boys find out and start to play. Real soon they start to ask the oracle things, but then two of the kids go down to get a book and she gets hurt. You will have to read it to find out what else happens. Its a good book, you will be glad you've read it.

Journal Entry 11 by yokaye on Sunday, October 7, 2007
I really enjoyed this one, and I know it would've been a favorite if I had read it when I was a kid. It didn't have the massive emotional impact that so many of the Newbery stories do, but it was thoughtful, realistic and honest. As a kid we always made up intricate games from the imagination...I delight to see my kids do the same today.
I thought that the kids were well written; distinct and believable characters. The addition of the older boys into the game was funny and honest. It captured the awkwardness of the age very well.

All in all, its a book I would highly recommend - DaraLeigh certainly enjoyed it, too!

Will be sending off sometime this week to tuff517. Enjoy!

ETA: shipped via media mail 10/12/2007


Journal Entry 12 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Friday, October 19, 2007
Received this yesterday, looks good!

Journal Entry 13 by tuff517 from Elk Grove Village, Illinois USA on Friday, November 23, 2007
Great book. The suspense and subject were just perfect. The characters were really 'filled out', and felt real to me. Very touching. I'll be reading more of her books. Sending off to spacedog with The Witches of Worm.

Journal Entry 14 by spacedog from Cambridge, Massachusetts USA on Sunday, December 9, 2007
i actually read this recently b/c i didn't have any newbery rings to read so i thought i'd get ahead. i rather enjoyed the book. i remember seeing it as a kid and thinking that it looked a bit sinister, but it was actually like -bridge to terabithia- in the insight into kids' imaginations (although much more light-hearted in general). i wouldn't be surprised though if some schools have banned it b/c of some of the the rituals they come up with, but all in all i thought it was good fun. snyder writes the way kids interact and speak in a more believable way than most, and the plot moves briskly along. a nice read, with some nice illustrations as well. looking forward to reading the other snyder book.

Journal Entry 15 by wingbookhunter21wing from Saint Paul, Minnesota USA on Friday, January 4, 2008
This book is back home. Thanks everybody!

Released 15 yrs ago (5/3/2008 UTC) at Wilder Foundation Building on Uni & Lex in Saint Paul, Minnesota USA

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At Wilder's Open House today--left in the second floor of the parking ramp

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