The Egypt Game

Age Range
8+
ISBN
0440422256
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Editor reviews

2 reviews
A classic from the 1960's that stands up today
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5.0
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The Egypt Game was one of my favorites when I was young and I picked it up recently with some trepidation. Would I still like it after all this time (and no, I won't tell you exactly how long it has been)? I really shouldn't have worried.

Zilpha Keatley Snyder is a wonderful author and she has a gift for timeless stories. Black and Blue Magic is another one of my favorites from her, though that one is harder to find than The Egypt Game.

The Egypt Game starts when April moves in with her grandmother. Her mother is a glamorous Hollywood-ite and April is very reluctant about her new not-so-glamorous accomodations. She soon meets Melanie Ross, who also lives in her grandmother's building and the two become friends even though they have little in common.

One thing they do have in common is imagination and that's how the Egypt Game starts. While reading about Egypt, they become completely entranced with the pomp and circumstance. They find a deserted storage yard behind the Professor's A-Z Antiques store and turn it into their very own Egypt. Melanie's precocious little brother Marshall joins them for the fun.

Soon, two boys from school also discover the fun and join in the play. Everything is going fine until disaster strikes in the neighborhood: a child's murder.

To make a long story short, the Egypt gang winds up ultimately finding the bad guy after some scary events.

Some of the good stuff in this book: learning about responsibility and safety, acceptance, and finding out that things are not always what they seem. It also has all the elements that make up a good story: action, intrigue, mystery...

I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.
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6 reviews
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17%
Overall rating
 
3.7
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3.3(6)
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4.0(1)
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Egypt game
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4.0
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4.0
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4.0
I remember reading this all the way back in sixth grade for English class. It was a pretty good book, filled with mystery, some action, and of course, a little bit of Egypt for the Egypt game. From what I remember, Aprils mom is an actress and doesn't really care about her and she moves in with her grandma. Melanie and her little brother Marshall live in the same apartment, and April being lonely, decides to make up a game involving elements of Egypt. It was all make believe and pretend until some crazy person is out murdering people, and suddenly the game is scary. They end up finding the bad guy so all ends well. This book stuck with me for five years, which is a good sign because I have read hundreds of books since then . I highly highly recommend this book to young readers.
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The Great Mystery
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4.0
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4.0
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Reader reviewed by Maddog

This book is great if you like books that you dont want to stop reading! At the end of each chapter I feel and I hope yo would too that i really hate to stop! This book includes a little mystery and a great little fiction book! I love it! In the book you hear about murder and having a great time with your friends and hearing what you could do if you are bored in the rain! 5 great friends make alittle group and dicover what happend in ancient eygpt! I loved the book and I have read it about 6 times! It rocks kids!
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Not so good
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3.0
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3.0
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Reader reviewed by An 11 year old girl

The book is good, I guess
But, the characters are really
wrong
sorry but, what are you, 50 years old?!
People got over cooties in like
at least the 3rd grade
in 6th grade no one
cares anymore just saying
and "boys icky"
that is SO not what 6th graders
are rlly like
it makes me mad to see
you making
us look like
kindergardners
but this was written in 1986
so its erm ok
kind've

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Cute
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4.0
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4.0
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Reader reviewed by ReaderGirl

When April's mother Dorthea sends her away to live with her grandmother Caroline in her apartment house, "Casa Rosada", April is determined to hate it. After all what are the odds she'd meet anyone who would understand her, with her fake eyelashes, fancy hairdos, and grownup-Hollywood attitude. Besides, all she wants to do is be back with her mother in Hollywood. So when her grandmother sets up a lunch with one of her neighbors who has a little girl her age named Melanie, she's anything but pleased.

Melanie on the other hand can't wait to meet April, thinking she may finally have a new friend that lives close by, and though April's not what Melanie expected, they quickly discover a common bond in using their imagination. Along with with Melanie's little brother, Marshall, they soon cook up a game called the Egypt Game which they play in the back of an old antique store.

And that is just the beginning. Add in a few more players, a mysterious shop owner, and a frightening murder, and you've got one interesting story.

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I liked this book a lot! It was a little kiddish but very cute! It kept me reading and it was fun so all and all a good read! ^^ There's a companion to the book called "The Gypsy Game" which I think I'll pick up as soon as I have a minute.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars! ^^

*Reprinted with authors permission*

http://readergirlreviews.blogspot.com/

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Egypt Gme my book review
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1.0
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Reader reviewed by Joanna Revelon P

The Egypt Game is about some kids playing a game that has to do with Egypt. My book review it has a brief summary and my personal opinion of the book.



The book is about Melanie Ross meeting April Hall and they become friends they find out that they both like anything that has to do with Egypt. They decide that Melanie, April and Marshall (Melanies little brother) would make a game about Egypt they assured that they were going to play in the back yard of a mysterious man nicknamed professor. After a while they got a new member of the game named Elisabeth Chung. One day the Egyptians got there 5th and 6th members of the Egypt Game it was Ken and Toby it was fun until strange things started to happen . . . 



My opinion about this book is that I spit upon it! Its supposed to be mysterious but it isnt like in pg. 103 it says the figure sprang toward the land of Egypt guess who was the figure?! A boy! BORING!!! Then the author tries to make it more mysterious and it includes murdering like in pg. 70 it says a little girl in the neighborhood had been killed I think that is too much!


I think the author didnt achieve her purpose at ALL! She wasnt mysterious and it wasnt interesting. It bored me to sleep! The writing was boring, ugly and when you are done you want to step on it! Because it wasnt a good theme and she gives to much details but not juicy ones but plane ones which makes it frustrating. The strengths of this book are that is a good way to go to sleep fast and it has good challenging words but not to many. The weaknesses are everything else and its boring theme and also its false intrigue and mysterious. I found it quite dull because it talks too much about that boring theme they are also so many good themes and she had to choose the boringest one!! No one deserves to read that waste of paper (garbage)! Because its too boring the theme and the writing



I conclude that its the worst book Ive ever red and Ill burn it some day! Or also throw it to a pool of sharks for them to eat it. I HATE THIS BOOK!



 

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good book
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4.0
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4.0
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Reader reviewed by taylor

this book is about two girls who are totally different but are best friends. together they make up an imaginary land and play a game called the egypt game with truly exciting tales. but when something goes wrong in the neiborhood they are forced to stop playing the egypt game. unless they fix the problem themselves. but what if they get killed in the making?
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