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Writer Zilpha Keatley Snyder has died. She was 87-years-old.

Throughout her career, she penned more than 40 books for young children and teens. Snyder (pictured, via) won three Newbery Honors for The Egypt Game (1967), The Headless Cupid (1971), and The Witches of Worm (1972).

Here’s more from The New York Times: “Most of Ms. Snyder’s books were intended for readers 9 to 13 and delved into subjects like witchcraft, murder and dysfunctional families. She mixed realism and the supernatural, and her stories often had endings that could be interpreted from either viewpoint. Her plots were tight, and her protagonists were often vital, thoughtful, courageous females.”

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#79 The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
25 points

Another great book about the lines between fantasy and reality becoming blurred. Deliciously fun and creepy. – Marianne Minnich

When I went back to read this a couple year ago, I didn’t imagine for a second that it would live up to my memories – particularly the elements of mystery and mysticism. I was wrong. Though I can think of several other Snyder books that are deserving, this is the one that has stuck with me through the years. – Mark Flowers

Well somebody’s certainly moving up in the world.  On the last poll Snyder’s best-known novel had the distinction of being number 100 on the nosie.  This time around it has apparently scratched and clawed its way up to a cushy #79 spot.

Ms. Snyder was a writer from day one, or at the very least a storyteller.  Growing up she says of her childhood, “And then there were games. Some were secret, some less so, and most of them grew out of a compulsion to endow everything animal, vegetable and mineral with human characteristics. I suspect that all very young children are naturally given to anthropomorphism, but with me it must have been almost a full-time occupation. Not only animals, but also trees, plants, toys, and many other inanimate objects had personalities, and sometimes complicated life histories. Often these creatures seemed to have been in need of a helping hand. I built leafy shelters for homeless insects, doctored demons, most of whom haunted closets and the dark corners of rooms. Although they really frightened me, I don’t think I would have wanted to be talked out of them. They were my demons and we had a working relationship.”

The Egyptian Game was her fourth book and came out in 1967.  The Simon & Schuster website describes the plot of the book this way: “The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she’s not sure they have anything in common. One look at April’s upswept hair, false eyelashes, and ragged fox-fur collar is enough to convince Melanie that April won’t have an easy time fitting in with the sixth graders at Wilson School.  But April has some surprises in store, like the fact that she enjoys reading and playing imagination games just as much as Melanie does. The two even discover that they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt! In a storage yard behind the A-Z Antiques and Curio Shop, Melanie and April start to play the Egypt Game. Before long, there are six Egyptians instead of two. They meet to wear costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their secret code. Everyone enjoys the game until strange things begin to happen. Has the Egypt Game gone too far?  With a touch of charm and a whole lot of imagination, Zilpha Keatley Snyder transforms an abandoned junkyard into an Egyptian court in this Newbery Honor-winning mystery.”

The book won a Newbery Honor in 1968 alongside Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth by E. L. Konigsburg (Atheneum), The Black Pearl by Scott O’Dell (Houghton), and The Fearsome Inn by Isaac Bashevis Singer (Scribner).  The ultimate winner?  A little title by the name of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

Says Ms. Snyder of the story, “the beginning seeds of The Egypt Game were sown during my early childhood, as is true of a great many of my books. A fift

I must say, I was more than impressed by the sheer wealth of great children’s poets weighing in on yesterday’s post about the conspicuous lack of an ALSC poetry award.  Today, we shall switch gears and instead start off the day with a fine little . . .

• New Blog Alert: I’ve decided that I want to work at the Eric Carle Museum.  This is a long-term plan.  I’m not in a particular rush.  If 50 years down the line they have an opening in their little library (I like their little library quite a lot) I’ll apply then.  Until that time I’ll just read their brand new blog instead. The blog in question is called Shop Talk and has all sorts of goodies in it.  Visits from illustrators like Lisbeth Zwerger (she’s so young!).  Communist interpretations of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Even a first sentence quiz that stumped me (is Madame Louise Bodot from Crictor?).  They tell me that they’ll be doing an endpaper quiz soon too.  Better add it to the old blogroll.

• New Italian Blog Alert: I don’t get to write that nearly as often as I’d like to.  In a perfect universe we Americans would be able to hear not just about the cool new children’s books from our own American blogs, but the cool new worldwide children’s books via blogs from other countries.  I know of a couple Aussie children’s literary bloggers.  At least one Brit.  A Canadian or two.  But where are the Welsh, the French, the Chinese, or the Indian children’s literary bloggers?  At least we’ve got a rep from Italy, eh?  The Tea Box recently came to my attention, and thanks to the wonders of translation you can read it in only mildly maligned English.  There are interviews and looks at new books.  And check out this image from this post on the picture book La Governante by Edouard Osmont.

Gorgeous!  I could spend all day exploring through the site’s blogroll too.  Bella bella!

• It’s pseudo Shakespeare week over at the resident husband’s blog Cockeyed Caravan.  I eschew plugging him too often, but I particularly liked his recent posts on Why Do Hamlet and Batman Delay? and the problems with remake fever (“Who stages Thomas Kyd’s 1589 version of Hamlet today?”) as well as a look at the much maligned and very funny 4 Comments on Fusenews: Prehistoric Security Guards = Instant Awe, last added: 7/31/2010