This book is a good story about true friendships, crushes and just live in general. I think that any person of any age would enjoy this book. If your looking for adventure then you might want to check out this book. It is very dangerous and exciting.
So try and read this book in your spare time!

This book was basically about friendship and making the right choices. I learned that if you make a choice that goes against your conscience, one must suffer the bitter consequences. In this book, two main characters were best friends, and they thought it would be that way forever. But when a new dare-devil boy came along, one of the boys went with his conscience, and the other went against it. The boy who went with his gut feelings, in a way, did the right thing, yet, in this case, he lost his only real friend to the rude boy, who had stomped in and destroyed the two boy's relationship. This book was very well-written, awesomely descriptive, and taught a very important lesson in the midst of a story packed with mystery, suspense, and an interesting, fast-paced plot. Yes, indeed, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Set in agricultural Ventura Valley of California in 1910, this story is difficult to classify. The young heroine reveals a wacky imagination, spunky atittude and distinctly tomboyish taste. These all provide amusing moments for the reader, but this book discusses many serious themes and topics: rabies, prolonged grieving, social cruelty, drought-induced poverty, and unrealistic expectations to fit into the family mold.

July 4th is the holiday spotlighted in this story of almost one year in the life of a child, who starts out by trying to become Invisible! I was hooked by the cover which showed people in old-fashioned garb by a horse-drawn vehicle. But Carly's life is far from an agrarian idyll or even Waltonesque. I actually consider the cover misleading, because Carly is definitley NOT the dainty little lady in white ruffles descending from Aunt M.'s carriage. In fact she defies proper, female tradition on the sly by riding Astride horses when she can get away with it.

Her immediate, dysfunctional famliy seems to have no use for her: strict, repressive Father (failed teacher turned to failing dry farmer); invalid Mother (physically as well as emotionally, grieving over the death of her toddler son a decade ago): assorted older siblings with their own problems. Poor criticized Carly only feels at home with Aunt Mehitabel and her incorrigible Chinese servant, Woo-Ling, both of whom adore her.

But how do condors (dancing, gliding or dead) influence her life? Ostracized from the Water Company by a long-standing family feud, the Carltons must watch helplessly as their unirrigated ranch is slowly strangled. Then there are the boys in her life: one proves a true friend who teaches her about condors and joins her Sherlock Holmes detective games. The other is the spoiled grandson of her family's bitter enemy, who targets her for more than mere verbal abuse.

Between lowlife gossip, her distant mother, her authoritarian father and a threat to her beloved dog, Tiger, Carly comes of age at! ll. She shows a morbid taste for the cemetery, where lies the little brother she never knew, whose place she could never take--the only family member truly at peace. Even Carly begins to wonder just when her tears are flowing for real. She stubbornly insists that one day she Will see condors dancing up at Condor Spring. These maligned birds are like Carly--outwardly unattractive--but with hidden depths of grace and aerial beauty. If she can learn to appreciate Them, may not people come to love and accept Her, just as she is, instead of some idealized daughter? Don't let them quench your zest for life!

This is a story of a young girl trying to find her own plaace in the world and all the odd and strange things she encounters in her search.

Cat Running is one of the better books I have read. It is abouta girl ,Cat, who is in sixth grade going on seventh. Cat is a fastrunner and won the Brownwood school race last year. The race was easy last year but this year she is not running. She is not running because her father will not let her wear slacks like the other girls. There is also a new kid at school and his name is Zane. Zane is an okie ,as they call him. An okie is a junkie or a poor farmer or farmer's kid. Cat became very good friends with Zane's sister, Sammy, but not Zane himself. That is until Sammy is dying very quickly. I liked this book even though it was slow at times. If you like The Egypt game and other books by Zilpha Snyder then you would most likly like this book!

If you or someone you know has ever been interested in sports, then "Cat Running" by Zilpha Snyder, is the right book for you. "Cat Running" is about a young girl who is attempting to grow up into an intellectual adult. She lives in a little town with her tight- knit family and goes to a little school- "Brownwood." Cat Kinsey is not an average girl in this town. She is the fastest runner and last year, easily won the school race. Her mother is a housewife and her father is never home. He is very old-fashioned and will not allow Cat to be and do everything she wants because he thinks that it is not proper for little girls to be running around and acting like boys. Cat loves running and she doesn't only do it because it is fun for her, she uses it as a way to deal with or run away from her problems. This year, a new boy came to their school. His name is Zane and he's an "okie"-this is what they called a person who is not wealthy or someone who is dirty and uneducated. Cat has seen him run before and she was amazed at how fast this kid was. She decided that at this year's race, she was going to need all the help she could get to win once more. Cat decided to ask her father if she could wear pants this year just like every other girl would be, but of course her father was opposed to it. This made Cat furious and she decided not to run in the race at all. Zane and Cat didn't get along, however, cat did become very good friends with Zane's little sister, Sammy... Read this book full of adventure and inseparable friendship and find out what real friendship is. I really liked this book because the descriptions were very detailed and that made it easy to imagine what is happening throughout the book. Also there is a lot of action and adventure, which keeps the reader "on their toes." There is a bit of humor and drama mixed into the plot and I think anyone that reads this book could relate in some way.

What a great book! This is a story about Cat Kinsey, a girl, about 12 or 13. Cat is the fastest runner at Brownwood School, so naturally she wants to compete in the race. Cat wants to wear slacks while running, but her father thinks it unseemly for a girl to be wearing boy's clothes. Cat is so upset that she decides not to race at all. Cat finds a grove in the woods and decides to put some of her possessions there. Then, a boy named Zane Perkins, an Okie, comes to Brownwood. He won the race, so everyone at school eggs Cat and Zane to race, but Cat doesn't want to. Cat meets Sammy, Zane's little sister, playing in her grove, with "Lillybelle" (that's what Sammy calls Cat's doll). Cat and Sammy become great friends. But Sammy gets pneumonia and she is likely to die. Zane and Cat finally get to race, running for a doctor, but this time, it's not for fun or entertainment, but it depends on life or death. This book is one of my favorites, and I think many people would enjoy it.

Of course, the reason I found out about Zilpha Keatley Snyder's Janie's Private Eyes was because I read her absolutely wonderful book, The Headless Cupid, the first installment of the Stanley family. By the time I got to this book, which is the fourth and final part of the family saga, it was like the Stanleys had never even known the life they lived in The Headless Cupid. In THC, David and his siblings were all very quiet, thoughtful, mysterious, and over-all interesting. His step-sister, Amanda, was a very well-developed cahracter and was one of the best parts of the book. If you've ever read any E. L. Konigsburg (particularly From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler) you kind of have a general idea of what kind of style Snyder was writing in THC. Kind of mysterious and creepy, but not really in the "horror" genre of terrifying. One of the best things about THC was that the writing style and the characters were so interesting and different.

Well, when you get finished with Janie's Private Eyes, you could swear that you were reading some kidn of mediocore-to-bad Jerry Spinelli book. (I'm not criticizing Spinelli, I'm just using him as an example). The Stanleys have lost their mysterious, subdued aura and have become an average, boring family. Although the characters are a little more tolerable in Janie's Private Eyes than they were the book's prequel, Blair's Nightmare, they are all very plain and boring American kids.

Now that I'm through writing about the characters, I'll tell you about the plot. In this story, the Stanley family loses their beloved Irish Wolfhound, Nightmare (yeah, the same one in Blair's Nightmare), and Janie organizes a club out of the five kids to get him back. Of course, there are many sub-plots in the story, but that's just the main premise. Since Janie's Private Eyes is very hard to find in bookstores, I'd recommend that you check it out form your library. Although it has absolutely nothing to do with The Headless Cupid, you may still end up liking it.

The Stanley family is never a usual family. They never have natural projects to do, like building a tree house or such- instead, they have projects of becoming super naturalists, of getting out of a kidnapper's hideout, and also, a project of finding out a case of missing dogs. Lead by Janie Stanley, head of the J. V. Stanley Private Eyes, Inc. the whole Stanley family children and their friends intend this time to discover the secret of the missing neighborhood dogs. After a round of interviewing and investigating, accidents with the police and their parents, the Stanley's own dog, Nightmare, is stolen. However, at this, Janie deduces who had stolen all the dogs and go on a hunt. At the end, all the dogs are returned to their owners and the case is solved- all done by the marvelous J.V. Stanley Private Eyes Inc.
I have enjoyed Janie's Private Eyes because the Stanley family is so different from other people. I have never known anyone like Janie or her family; with such tangibility to get into scrapes. Of course, it is probably very annoying to live with someone as loud, smart, and obnoxious as Janie, but it is very interesting to hear and read about it. I am a lot like her, for I also talk too much, I am not particularly obedient, I can also be extremely annoying with my logic. In addition, I have never lived in a large country house before, out where it is all grass and miles from other people. It is very interesting, and I have enjoyed reading this book.
My favorite part of the story is when the Stanley family children go to the police station. It is so weird how Janie would be excited about going there; since most people, including me, are not only frightened in talking to the police, and even more so to enter the police station- whether guilty or innocent. Hearing how the police question Janie and her sister, Amanda, of who are both very uncooperative in their own ways is funny. Especially Janie, since she is so eager to get fingerprinted and mug shotted. I mean, how can anyone want to be fingerprinted? Would you?

Actually the story is not as grim as the review title implies, but one is reminded of the song, "Gypsies, tramps and thieves."
Well, 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.

I read a book called "The Gypsy Game." I think it was a very good book. The whole book started when April Hall asked Melanie Ross a simple question. The question was simpley what do you know about gypsies? Well that question brought to life a whole new game. Sooner or later the whole gang wanted to play. Even Toby. It was real fun. They were having the time of their life. Toby brought in real gypsy jewelry and Toby's dad painted a picture of a real live gypsy. But all of a sudden on new years day toby started acting strange and he dissapperd! I really liked this book.It was filled with adventure and excitement. I would reccomend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery!

This is such a great book!!!!! I really liked The Egypt Game so I read this book as soon as my school library got it in when I was in 6th grade. This book was even better then The Egypt Game! It was so exciting! The book is a lot about Toby, who IS a really cool character. The characters don't play The Gypsy Game really, but what is going on is probably much more interesting. This book starts exactly after where the Egypt Game ends. I could not put down this book. It is suspenseful and awesome! Plus, if everyone just pretended to be gypsies the book would be like the Egypt Game, just with gypsies instead of egyptians. The Toby plot makes this book a different book from the Egypt Game. If you want to read a book like the Egypt Game, just READ THE EGYPT GAME AGAIN! If you want to read a great and unique book, read The Gypsy Game! It's really awesome!

I thought this book was not as good as Snyder's other book.I read the Headless Cupid and the Egypt game by her then got this thinking that it would be good by suffered a great disappoinment. I found that the main character in this book,Haley was rude and selfish. This just made me anoid. I mean she was so rude to everyone. She was such a brat. This book was also kind of confusing. I found myself in many parts of the book not quite fully knowing what was going on. I thought I could relate to her because she's about the same age as me and she's in the same grade as me, but boy was I wrong. So don't waist your money on this book I'm warning you.

i felt this book was not as good a s others written by synder. i felt that because the amin character in this book was so unappeling. she is so self centerd she is mean to the mom and she dosent realize that her moms suffering to. aslo i felt the book kin dof stopped aburtly at the ende whne it could have more story to go.

I'm a long time fan of ZKS - upon finding this book, I was excited to find a book I hadn't read. I did not like the tone of the book - I kept wanting to tell the main character to show some will power. I found none of the characters likable or engaging, the storyline was a little too far fetched for me, and (for me) a number of the topics in the book were things I don't usually choose to read about. Also, in my opinion, the slightly graphic handling of some of the themes (rape and abuse) gave it a more mature tone than her other books - and her character's handling of those situations left a LOT to be desired.