The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

This is the second book from Ann's recommendation list that I have read. Another gem! She thought I would enjoy its Berkeley setting, and I did. The milieu is very familiar and enjoyable! The time (1967) is also familiar, and I love the occasional sixties lingo, like "fink" which I had totally forgotten! But most delightful are the characters. In particular, Melanie is a true and gifted friend to troubled April. They are sixth graders, and their ups and downs feel authentic. There's also lots of wisdom sprinkled in the story;  for example, Melanie says, "It's sort of like what you do in nonviolence. My mom says it's appealing to their better natures."
The impressionistic grey scale illustrations are a nice addition to the story. I also enjoyed the opportunity to learn about Egyptology, though not in any depth. It might be enough to spark a young person's interest, though, to delve into this study after reading the book. I liked how imaginations, costumes, and inventions (like the hieroglyphic code and names) were so enthralling to the kids. It will be interesting to see if Gabe likes it. I wonder if he'll be able to relate to kids who have nothing to do with technology! I think he'll enjoy the suspense, and the fact that these are sixth graders. Since he's a fourth grader, he'll enjoy looking up a grade or two. He may also enjoy Melanie's little brother Marshall, who is a wise four-year-old. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to the girls' getting the two sixth grade boys involved in their Egypt game. I wonder if he will feel that this is true to life, because I wondered about that. Would boys really choose this intriguing activity over basketball? I think all kids enjoy adventure...which is what the Egypt Game and this book have.