Chapter Books A to Z: Z is for Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Zilpha Keatley Snyder has penned numerous books for children and young adults. She was even honored three times with Newbery Honors. I read two of these books when I was in elementary school.

The Egypt Game is about a group of children who are fascinated by Ancient Egypt. They sneak into a storage yard through a loose board and commence to mimic rituals that are based on those of the Ancient Egyptians. A murder in the neighborhood puts a damper on their game for a few months. When they are able to return, mysterious things start to happen.


The Headless Cupid was another one of Snyder's Newbery Honor books. The Stanley children have a new stepsister named Amanda who believes in the supernatural and the occult. She promises to teach them what she knows and then strange things start to happen in their house. Rumor has it that a ghost cut off the head of the cupid statue upstairs. They fear that the ghost has made a return.


Both of these books have just enough suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. I don't remember either one of them being so scary, though, that I had nightmares. That being said, some children are going to be more sensitive than others. I loved them.