Zilpha Keatley Snyder
It had only been a game. Of course, it had been a very special one, more serious and important and mysterious than most- and a lot more fun. And there had been times when it had seemed to have a mysterious sort of reality about it. But no one had believed, when you came right down to it, that it was anything more than a game. At least, no one had until today.
This was our first introduction to the author Zilpha Keatley Snyder. It's the story of a girl who comes to stay in her grandmother's apartment building. While dealing with the neglect of her mother, she makes some new friends and they create a magical world based on their love of all things Egyptian. In the fenced-in backyard of the odd curiosity shop (owned by the creepy old shopkeeper who may or may not be a murderer), the kids use trash and remnants to make a temple and costumes and play out elaborate storylines. Maybe because my kids and I were this type of child, I completely understood and loved how the characters threw themselves into their "game". Reading everything they could about Egypt, drawing papyrus scrolls, excitedly telling each other about new ideas they had, reminded me so much of the way I used to play. Even how school and regular life was secondary to the kids as they thought about and couldn't wait to get back to their Egypt game, felt particularly familiar to me. Keatley Snyder completely captures the enthusiasm of imaginative kids and the magic they can create.
It had been a terrific game, full of excitement and mystery and way-out imagining, but it had been a great deal more than that. It had been a place to get away to- a private lair- a secret seclusion meant to be shared with best friends only- a life unknown to grownups and lived by kids alone.
On a side note, I also really liked that all the kids in the book were diverse. It was written in a natural way- that was just the makeup of the neighborhood and apartment building. Sometimes I feel like older books (from the 60-80's) get this right better that modern ones! And if you have sensitive readers, part of the plot does involve a child murder (not described or detailed).
