[(The Gypsy Game )] [Author: Zilpha Keatley Snyder] [Mar-2005]

Game #2

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

The kids from The Egypt Game are back. What game will they play next? The answer is Gypsies. While April plunges in with her usual enthusiasm, the more Melanie learns, the more something seems to be holding her back. But it's Toby who adds a really new wrinkle when he announces that he himself is a bona fide Gypsy. Plus he can get them some of his grandmother's things to use as real Gypsy props for the new game. What could be more thrilling? Then Toby suddenly and mysteriously disappears, and the kids discover that living as real-life Gypsies may not be as much fun as they thought. How will they find Toby and rescue him from the very real problems that are haunting his life?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Young Adult, Childrens, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Realistic Fiction

Paperback

First published February 10, 1997

About the author

Zilpha Keatley Snyder was an American author of books for children and young adults. Three of Snyder's works were named Newbery Honor books: The Egypt Game, The Headless Cupid and The Witches of Worm. She was most famous for writing adventure stories and fantasies.

Reviews

[Karina · Rating 3 out of 5]

"When Toby Alvillar said he was a Gypsy, Melanie didn't know what to think. She knew what April was thinking because April said so, loud and clear. Which was that Toby was just shooting off his mouth and trying to get attention, like always." (PG. 19, Ch. 4)

The story was fine as a story of friendship and I loved that the characters were diverse.

BUT there was no game playing. I was looking forward to the kid games. The Egypt Game had great reviews so I figured this was similar because it is the sequel but NopeNoNo, no one is playing anything.

The author was making subtle political statements as in poor/middle class neighborhoods, drug use, mental illness, homelessness, Gypsies during the Holocaust, etc. Like I said, if it had been solely based on these kids and what they went through it makes for a good story but I expected games.

Can we please play now?

(Side note: find a book on Gypsies in Europe during the Holocaust)

[Ang · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the Egypt Game and I was amazed when after 15 plus years of rereading it, there has been a sequel all this time. I was VERY disappointed.

Things that irritated me:
-The characters went from being in the 1960s to the 1990s - the dialogue and word choices of the characters were complete different.
-Toby clearly states in the first book that his parents are out at a party - pretty hard to do since according to this sequel, his mother has been dead since he was a baby.
-The characters all of the sudden start referring to each other by their last names. Yes, they did so in the middle of the Egypt Game, but that was before they got to know one another better.
-I realize why April was no longer the central character, however...it's April!!!!
-One of the coolest thing about the Egypt Game was them actually playing the game...there was little to no playing of gypsies.

Overall, unimpressed/annoyed/irritated.

[Sofia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book feels like a Disney live-action remake, only worse

[Gale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually the story is not as grim as the review title implies, but one is reminded of the song, "Gypsies, tramps and thieves."
Anyway, soon afer the Egypt Game has concluded the multi-ethnic gang is back, but things are deteriorating in Toby's home and soon he goes missing. Say, was he just pulling the kids' legs about his Gypsy ancestry or is he really in danger of being kidnapped? I felt the author was pulling one over on us; besides the use of chapter flip-flop, she filled out a skimpy plot with literary fluff.

Nevertheless, this is a very serious book in places, with themes of universal shunning and persecution. Focusing on the neglect of the underprivileged, she makes young readers aware of the plight of society's unwanted. The kids themselves face some ethical dilemmas and even wonder (how desperate can they be?) when to bring in adult aid! Snyder alternates between their pre-teen lifestyle and heavy themes with hints for social reform. I am not sure how much of the audience for whom this book was intended will enjoy this sequel. Is it meant to be entertainment or a political platform? Perhaps she just wants to point out the danger of an overactive imagination. Unfortunately this book does not live up to its Egyptian predecessor.

(May 9, 2012. I welcome dialogue with teachers.)

[Maanasa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not nearly as good as it's predeccessor. The Gypsy Game lacks ingenuity, mystery, enchantment, character development, relationships and all those wonderful things about the first one. A tolerable read, but disappointing.

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seems like the title just hangs on the coattails of The Egypt Game as the story isn't focused on the game this time around. It's really quite a different book, and I wonder if it could have been done with all new characters. You have to wonder about the huge gap between the publication of the books. Did the author got so much pressure to write a sequel that she just finally gave in and did this? It's an OK book, but maybe not such a worthy sequel.

[Magda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I expect superlative children's fiction from Ms. Snyder, but this one was just okay. Maybe I'm too old for these "games"? I remember being entranced by The Egypt Game.

[Daniella · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was tricked into thinking this would be like The Egypt Game and involve suspenseful, unexplainable events... instead it was just a story. I wanted to relive a bit of the supernatural thrill ZKS's books gave me when I read them as a child, but there wasn't any of that. Oh, well.

[Chance Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book on a random hotel bookshelf -- what a nice treat. This is a worthy companion to The Egypt Game, which was published around 30 years prior to this one.

The Gypsy Game features the same young characters seeking to roleplay as a different ethnic group, in the way that children do. Even though "cultural appropriation" was not a widely used term in the 90s, this book grapples with that. What does it mean to "play" as a group that has been historically discriminated against and oppressed? The book draws parallels between the "gypsy" stereotype and our modern-day population of people experiencing homelessness.

At the crux of this tense angle is Toby, 25% Romani and 100% conflicted about his situation living with a single, distracted, depressed father. The rest of the characters, like April and Melanie, are relegated to supporting roles. They try to find a way to support their friend in crisis. There is also a big dog, which may appeal to many readers.

[Joe Bolin · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Gypsy Game was much darker than its predecessor novel The Egypt Game. There was no game here, just a superficial examination of homelessness and the plight of minorities. The subject matter seems very deep for the young readers who will read this as a follow-up to The Egypt Game. I did enjoy the very beginning of the book, as Snyder jumps right in at practically the exact moment when the earlier book ended. I mean that literally, and I have to say that it was kind of a thrill to realize that this new story begins only minutes after the earlier one ended! In reality, thirty years passed between the publication of The Egypt Game in 1967 and the publication of The Gypsy Game in 1997; maybe that contributed to the difference in tone.

[The Dusty Jacket · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melanie didn’t know much about Gypsies, but if her best friend April could make Egypt into a fun and exciting game, she knew that The Gypsy Game was sure to be a hit as well...even though Marshall might be harder to convince. But soon after the Professor’s backyard began transforming into The Gypsy Camp, things began taking an unexpected turn. Between a found bear, a missing friend, hit men, detectives, and kidnappers, maybe a game about Gypsies wasn’t such a good idea after all.

Thirty years after her Newbery Honor-winning novel The Egypt Game was published, Zilpha Keatley Snyder brings April, Melanie, Marshall, Elizabeth, Toby, and Ken back into a new game filled with adventure, suspense, and danger. Don’t expect Snyder to waste her opening pages rehashing events from her last book. Instead, she picks up right where she left off and instantly plunges readers into the action (so if you’re a little fuzzy about the Casa Rosada, who Security is, or why parents don’t want their kids wandering around outside alone, be sure to re-read The Egypt Game first). It’s clear that time has not weakened the strong and unique bond that her main characters have formed with one another and although they may occasionally bicker and disagree, theirs is a camaraderie that might be stretched thin, but will never be broken.

Unlike her first book which presented the reader with plenty of interesting facts about Egyptian history, culture, and traditions, The Gypsy Game gives us just the scantest peek into Gypsy life while unintentionally giving readers the impression that Gypsies can boiled down to nothing more than headscarves, jewelry, and bright clothing. It seems a grave disservice, but Snyder eventually does delve into the more gritty and dark aspects of Gypsy life when she exposes their persecutions throughout history. Although I would have liked for Snyder to dig a little deeper into Gypsy culture, her sequel has enough twists and intrigue to keep fans of her first book engaged and satisfied.

Like her first book, Snyder’s sequel reminds us of the downsides of judging a book by its cover and how much we stand to lose when we jump to false conclusions. Just as the Gypsies were outcasts, Toby himself meets three outcasts and discovers just how far a simple act of kindness and generosity can go. American financier Bernard Baruch put it best when he said, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.” Although April, Melanie and the others didn’t realize it at the time, perhaps The Gypsy Game wasn’t about the clothes or the jewelry or the brightly painted caravan, but rather it was about watching out for your friends, staying true to your word, and offering a little bit of humanity and dignity to the most vulnerable around you.

[L Y N N · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extraordinary book! Snyder published 43 books and I hope to read the majority of those in this lifetime!

She tackles so much in this one book. I particularly appreciated the fact that the two girls who typically create these games were so appalled at the oppression and genocide of the gypsies that they were disheartened to play a game based upon their culture. It made them uncomfortable to discover how horribly this group of people was treated throughout history.

Toby's experiences, while a bit scary, were still very realistically portrayed, IMO! And that ending just couldn't be any better!

[Madame Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as charming as The Egypt Game but features the same cast of characters that made this somewhat enjoyable.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

Now that they have permission to play the Egypt Game, it doesn’t seem as interesting to sixth graders April and Melanie. After some consideration, they decide it might be more exciting to shift their focus to gypsies instead. The trouble is, before the Gypsy Game can truly get underway, real-world problems intervene. Toby, one of the Egyptians, has run away, supposedly to avoid being kidnapped by his gypsy grandparents. April, Melanie, and their friends do their best to remain loyal to their friend while also satisfying the questions and concerns raised by the adults in their lives who are concerned about Toby’s well-being.

Though there are 30 years between the publication date of The Egypt Game and the release of The Gypsy Game, in this fictional universe, it is literally as though no time has passed at all. The second book picks up just where the first one leaves off, filling in the very next line of dialogue. By the end of the first page, the reader is once again completely immersed in April and Melanie’s worlds - both the real one, and the one they imagine. For me, the time between books was only a couple of weeks, so I can’t say for sure whether the ease with which I slipped into the second story is a credit to the author, or simply a benefit of reading the books one right after the other. Still, I felt a strong connection to the setting - and to each of the kids - perhaps even more so than I did in their first story.

Though real-world conflicts do encroach upon the Egyptians’ game in the first book, I think the problem presented in the second one is more pressing on the characters because this time they know the situation and the danger Toby might be in. The fact that the kids do have some information about Toby that they conceal from adults creates a sense of tension and suspense that keeps the story moving forward quickly, with many questions and answers following one after the other. I felt more strongly invested in the characters this time because they were much more invested in the real-world happenings around them, and not just in their make-believe.

The politically incorrect use of the term “gypsy” may pose a problem, but I think a little coaching from adults can help kids understand why this word is no longer used, and why it is more appropriate to refer to this group as “Roma.” The use of “gypsy” in the title of the book and throughout the story is actually not used in an offensive way. The storyline itself works in many details about how the Roma people have been treated throughout history, and when the characters are well-informed, they do develop a stronger sense of respect that informs their plans for the Gypsy Game. The only thing I truly questioned was whether it was necessary for Toby to claim he is a gypsy, because it doesn’t seem to add much to the story, and it kind of makes him into a token character, especially because we learn nothing of his racial background in the first book. Similarly, the homeless characters in the story are treated very stereotypically, with little to differentiate them from each other, or to develop them as characters rather than just a collection of homeless people inserted to further a plot.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, especially on the heels of The Egypt Game. The Egypt Game is the superior story, and I don’t necessarily think readers will miss out if they never read The Gypsy Game, but it is nice to revisit the same characters and see where else the author’s imagination can take them. There is a bit of a cheesy Lassie moment where a dog is able to lead the kids to Toby’s location, which seems totally unbelievable and out of place, but there are just as many really lovely moments, including Marshall beginning to outgrow his need for Security, his stuffed octopus, and all the kids sneaking out to bring food to Toby while he is in hiding. If you’re a fan of the first book, it’s worth checking out the second, especially if you go in with no expectations and simply enjoy the story.

[Sara Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little disapointed with this book. It was obviously written long after the first book so some of the language had changed (the same language that had make the first one a little outdated) but there were also some subtle modernization. The first book was obviously set in time it was written so to have the book go from the 1960's to the 1990's was a little unsettling especially since I read them back to back. Most children may not pick up on these things but as an adult reader it was a little distracting.
With that said, however, the plot was still just as good. The Gypsy Game kind of faltered for the children as a real life drama took over but the book never let down the reader. I especially liked Ms. Snyder's discussion about what Gypsy life was like and the hardships that particular group of people have faced. I like the realism and the hidden education in the book. This would be a great book to talk about prejudice and oppression.
There are so many themes in this book that make it wonderful. This time you meet Toby's father who is a very eccentric artist. It's an interesting contrast to his best friend Ken who's parents are practical and well-to-do. The two ends of this spectrum are nicely balanced and really are more subtle. There is no beating the reader with a cause. Ms. Snyder talks about homelessness when Toby runs away and ends up living in an abandoned house with three homeless people.
This is a really powerful book and a great sequel.

[Doreen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to follow up something as awesome as The Egypt Game, and to a certain extent, Ms Snyder doesn't try to copy the formula that made that book so well-cherished (by myself, at least.) She does take the familiar characters and put them in a situation that sort of evolves naturally from April's final suggestion in TEG, and while it's good, solid story-telling, the magic of the previous book is missing. The story is still fairly compelling, but I think what this book mostly lacks is the charming characterization of TEG. Here, Ken comes across as dull and April as shrill, and you don't really learn anything new or surprising about the other kids; neither do any of them grow, as they almost all did in TEG. It's great to see what they're up to after the events of the other book, but I have the feeling that if you hadn't read it, you wouldn't really care about these characters.

On a minor though still important note, the drawings that so enlivened TEG were sorely missed. It would've been nice to see a line drawing of the kids trying to give Bear a bath, for example. I hate to sound so negative about an author I love, and while this is a good book, it's just not one of her best, and she's written some amazing stuff.

[Ariel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the sequel to the incomparable "Egypt Game" by the same author, in which a diverse gang of kids recreates its own version of ancient Egypt in an empty lot. My daughter and I listened to it recently on audio and she was so taken with it that she begged me to get the sequel, which isn't available on audio for good reason. In this one, they switch to the subject of gypsies and it turns out that one of the kids is part gypsy. He runs away from home and stays in the lot with a giant dog. The kids are still all sharply drawn, original, imaginative but not little adults. There is still a lot of information about another culture mixed in with a real plot and characters who grow. At first I was wondering why I had thought it was so inferior to The Egypt Game when I had read it years ago but the plot kind of falls apart at the end with the introduction of long-lost Mayflower grandparents who prove to be understanding and benign. Still, it's better than the majority of books out there and no mistake.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this one nearly as much as The Egypt Game. It felt like the issues were too adult for kids this age. I mean, I know there are homeless kids out there. But they all seemed to handle this surprisingly well. And then at the end to come up with this new solution to turn the Gypsy Game into something else - I don't buy it. It's awful preachy.

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read The Egypt Game in fifth grade, I was excited to read the sequel, and utterly disappointed. Decently written with a plot that occasionally manages to be engaging, but it never fully moves into the realm of the believable, or out of the (admittedly enormous) shadow of its predecessor.

[Tnguyen19 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book "Egypt Game," was incredible. The details where more to the point, and exact. Something that made you want to read more. Sadly this book i can't compare with it. I really hope to like this book, but it didn't attract me as much. Recommend this not to everyone. Since the ending for me was to weak. And the plot lack mystery.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this one as much as I liked The Egypt Game. It's much less "game" and much more a story about what happens to Toby. I wouldn't want it to be the same book, but it felt to me a little like the game bit could have played more of a role in the story.

[Suzanneli4653 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The gypsy game was a good book, but it sort of dissapointed me a little. I expected it to be better than The Egypt Game but it wasn't in my opinion. It did continue the adventures of the Egypt Game when the kids created a new game, but it wasn't like anything that I had expected.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved the first book, The Eygptian Game, but this one didn't even compare. It didn't have the same magic.

[Abby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Less exciting than the egypt game. The characters seem to have lost most of their flare.

[Kat (Lost in Neverland) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't like it. It was pretty stupid, and should be renamed 'The Toby Game' cause that's all it was about.

[Ginny Tata-Phillips]

Kids need to be reading more of Zil's books and less Hairy Snotter. She has been writing meaningful, entertaining books for over 40 years.

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think she waited to long to write a sequel. It was awful.

[Atlas Wolfgang · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating with partial stars would be 4.25.

I enjoyed this book's prequel, The Egypt Game, enough that I was willing to give this book a chance even though its title contains a derogatory term for Romani people. And I'm glad I did give it a chance! I wanted to see this group of characters through to their next adventure, and it delivered.

Firstly, let's discuss the concerns I had about the book's title. Because it contains a derogatory term, I was worried that it was going to promote a stereotyped and harmful view of Romani people. But I was pleasantly surprised with the angle this book chose! Instead of fully devoting themselves to playing with a history that might be inaccurately represented, the main characters have their preconceptions challenged. It was neat to see Toby go, "Wait a minute, this is my family's history, and the stuff you've read about it is wrong." It was also cool that the group eventually decided that it wouldn't be fair to play toys with the history of such a subjugated group. Of course, the use of the aforementioned slur leaves a lot to be desired, but there was an earnest attempt here.

I'd also like to commend the book for its portrayal of mature topics. The Egypt Game left a strong impression on me in that regard, and this one might have even exceeded it. Tackling subjects like homelessness, poverty, and racial discrimination in a children's book is an admirable task, and I believe it stuck the landing. Media often struggles to portray homeless people in a sympathetic light. The kindness and honesty that Toby's brief roommates showed toward him was just Good to Read. Granted, I did not care for the use of the r slur on Mickey, but it was the 90s, I guess...

The subjects breached in the last book also seem to have a lasting impact on the cast. It's always great to see an emotional through line in a series, even one as short as a duology. April still calls Caroline her grandmother, and she shows signs of abandonment issues from her mother pretty much ditching her, as well as persisting trauma from nearly being kidnapped. I like to see this kind of impact in writing! I do wish we got to see her resolve that trauma, but this book felt like an opportunity to flesh out the half of the Egypt gang that didn't get as much in that first book, so I'll let it slide.

All in all, I'd like to read more of Zilpha Keatley Snyder's books now that I'm done with this duology. I like her compassionate and mature take on children's literature. I feel like she really respects her readers, which is always great to see, but especially considering how children often feel talked down to or ignored. These two books really solidified my lasting enjoyment of books for a younger audience.

[AE · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually enjoyed this book more than I thought I would based on the reviews. I think one thing that's a bit unclear is that Snyder's books tend to never really be fantasy, they're usually just about kids with imagination having life problems. Knowing that, I kind of knew what to expect going in, so I was less upset that it wasn't actually about them playing gypsies much. I also didn't notice the time change that others have mentioned, so that actually didn't bother me.

That said, I do think Egypt Game was a more enjoyable story if just because there was such a focus on how they played the Egypt stuff, but I actually remember being disappointed in that book as a kid because I thought it would be a fantasy (Castle in the Attic style) and it wasn't.

Snyder is a very strong writer, and the style and plot flow were well done, and it was honestly a relief after having just finished a book that was much weaker in this sense (Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos). I was interested in the story, the characters were well developed, and the message overall seemed more worthwhile to me. I actually ended up really liking Toby, Ken, and Toby's dad a lot.

A few criticisms I did have:
- April got kind of irritating. I know it's just her character, but after her having made some progress in Egypt Game, it was annoying that she was still stuck with being kind of a brat.
- While I wasn't annoyed with the mentions of bad things that happened to gypsies and the whole subplot with the cellar folks, the several references to Nazis did feel a bit preachy by the end.


Overall, I liked the book, but I think realistic stories about imaginative children playing pretend, twined in with real world problems, just isn't really my favorite type of book. I read this because I did like Egypt Game and felt like I should complete the series, and I don't regret it, but I also just didn't fall in love with it.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked The Egypt Game, but The Gypsy Game was better. Her latter book was longer and she developed the plot as well as the characters in a more integrated story. I thought her first book was more about introducing the characters. The conflict (besides the four friends getting to know each other) was not exactly thrown into the story, but a detail or event the characters went through. But her handling of what happened to April was sensitive and thoughtful. I felt her pain. (Synder also used this incident in The Gypsy Game to 'grow' April and connect the stories.)

I thought the story line in The Gypsy Game was better planned (longer book) and delved more into the characters' psychologies. Their actions and dialogue allowed the reader to hear Synder's voice on the subject of homelessness and possible solutions, without it becoming preachy. Finally, I was glad that Melanie, April, and Ken FINALLY told Toby's dad about knowing Toby's location and how Melanie explained when dealing with 'moral dilemmas', you had to choose on the side of the one with the best result or least harm,-even if it means making the hard choice, like finking out your friend to save his life.