The Egypt Game
About This Book
When April and Melanie discover an abandoned storage yard behind an antique shop, they create an elaborate ancient Egypt in it — complete with rituals, hieroglyphics, and an oracle. More children join the game, but real danger begins to shadow their make-believe world. Zilpha Keatley Snyder's beloved Newbery Honor novel celebrates the richness of children's imagination and the way friendship is forged in the space between fantasy and reality.
Themes
FriendshipImaginationMystery
Best For
- Children ages 8-12 who love imaginative play and would enjoy seeing that reflected in fiction
- Young history enthusiasts with a budding interest in ancient Egypt or archaeology
- Readers ready to graduate from shorter chapter books to a richer, more layered middle-grade story
- Book clubs or classroom read-alouds focused on friendship, belonging, and creative collaboration
- Fans of mysteries woven into realistic fiction who want genuine suspense without horror
Why Parents Love This Book
The Egypt Game has enchanted young readers since 1967, and it earns that loyalty through something rare: it takes children's imaginative play with complete seriousness. When April and Melanie transform an overgrown storage yard into the kingdom of Egypt — complete with an altar to Set, hand-lettered hieroglyphics, and an oracle who answers questions — Zilpha Keatley Snyder captures exactly how all-consuming and meaningful such invented worlds can feel to a child. The game grows organically as new friends join, each bringing fresh ideas and personalities that deepen both the Egypt world and the friendships holding it together. At the same time, a real neighborhood danger creeps alongside the fantasy, giving the story genuine stakes without losing its warmth. April's character arc — a somewhat prickly girl learning to belong — is handled with honesty and care. This is a book that celebrates the creative intelligence of children and reminds adults just how rich the interior life of childhood can be.
Reading Tips for Parents
This is an excellent read-aloud for families, though its length and chapter structure make it especially rewarding for independent readers aged 8 and up. Before your child begins, consider briefly explaining what ancient Egypt means — pharaohs, gods like Set and Thoth, hieroglyphics — since Snyder assumes some familiarity. A quick look at a children's mythology book alongside can deepen enjoyment greatly. The story includes a subplot involving a real neighborhood danger (a child killer is mentioned), which is handled with restraint but may prompt questions. Parents of younger or more sensitive readers should be prepared for that conversation. The book rewards re-reading: older children often notice clues and foreshadowing they missed the first time. If your child loves it, Snyder wrote a sequel, The Gypsy Game, with the same characters.
Awards & Recognition
- Newbery Honor Book, 1968
- ALA Notable Children's Book
Educational Value
This book helps children develop skills across multiple areas:
- Vocabulary: Introduces a rich Egyptian mythology lexicon — hieroglyphics, oracle, pharaoh, ritual, ceremony — in natural context, making abstract historical terms concrete and memorable.
- History: Sparks genuine curiosity about ancient Egypt, its gods (Set, Thoth, Nefertiti), and the civilization's customs, often motivating children to seek out nonfiction resources independently.
- Social-emotional: Explores belonging, outsider feelings, and friendship formation with honesty, offering children language for their own social experiences.
- Creative thinking: Models how collaborative imaginative play is built, negotiated, and sustained — a sophisticated social and cognitive skill often undervalued in school settings.
- Literary analysis: The parallel structure of fantasy and real-world danger gives older readers an excellent introduction to mood, foreshadowing, and dual narrative threads.
- Cultural awareness: Set in a diverse urban neighborhood in the 1960s, the book naturally portrays cross-cultural friendship in a way that invites discussion about community and belonging.
Discussion Questions
Use these questions to spark conversation before, during, or after reading:
- Why do you think April and Melanie keep the Egypt game a secret at first? Have you ever had a special place or game you didn't want to share with others?
- The children make up rituals and ceremonies for their Egypt. What rules or customs would you create if you invented your own imaginary world?
- April starts the story feeling like an outsider. How does the Egypt game help her feel like she belongs? Can you think of a time when a shared activity helped you make a friend?
- When the oracle starts answering their written questions, the children are frightened and excited. Why do you think the answers felt so mysterious and real to them?
- How does real danger change the Egypt game for the children? Do you think they should have told adults about the yard sooner?
Content Notes for Parents
The story includes a background threat of a child murderer in the neighborhood, which is handled with age-appropriate restraint — the danger is real but not graphically depicted. Parents of younger or more sensitive readers (under 8) should be aware this element exists and may prompt questions about personal safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is The Egypt Game appropriate for?
The book is best suited for readers ages 8 to 12. It is a longer, more complex chapter book with a subplot involving neighborhood danger, so most children under 8 will find it challenging both in reading level and in some thematic content. Strong readers aged 8-9 will enjoy it, and the story also holds up well for middle schoolers who appreciate character-driven mysteries.
Is The Egypt Game scary? My child is sensitive to suspense.
There is genuine suspense in the book — a real neighborhood threat runs alongside the children's imaginative game — but Snyder handles it with restraint. There are no graphic scenes of violence. The tone is more unsettling than frightening, similar to how children might feel hearing something alarming on the news. Sensitive readers around age 8 may want to read it alongside a parent who can contextualize the danger subplot.
Does my child need to know about ancient Egypt before reading this?
No prior knowledge is required, and part of the book's charm is watching the characters research and build their Egypt world as they go. However, children who already have some familiarity with Egyptian gods, hieroglyphics, and pharaohs will get extra enjoyment from recognizing details. A quick library visit for a children's Egypt reference book makes a wonderful companion activity.
Is there a sequel or similar books you would recommend?
Yes — Zilpha Keatley Snyder wrote The Gypsy Game (1997) as a direct sequel featuring the same core group of children. For similar reads that blend friendship, imagination, and mystery, try From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg or The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, both of which share The Egypt Game's spirit of children outsmarting a mystery on their own terms.
Why was this book published in 1967 but still so widely read today?
The Egypt Game endures because its core appeal — children building an elaborate, meaningful imaginative world together — is timeless. Snyder never condescends to her young characters or readers, and April's emotional journey from prickly outsider to loyal friend resonates across generations. The book was a Newbery Honor recipient in 1968, which helped cement its place in school and library collections, but its continued readership comes from word-of-mouth among children who genuinely love it.
