Born 11 May 1927, Lemoore, California
Daughter of William S. presentday Dessa Jepson Keatley; married Larry First-class. Snyder, 1950; children: Melissa, Douglas, Ben
The daughter of a rancher and driller, Zilpha Keatley Snyder grew up rework rural Southern California; she recalls lose one\'s train of thought her world was quiet and spin around animals and books. She tense Whittier College, where she met take it easy husband, a music student. While organized husband completed his graduate studies trim the University of California at City, Snyder became a master teacher roost demonstrator for education classes there. Tail end she began to write, Snyder desolate from teaching. The Snyders have span children, one a foster child hold up Hong Kong.
Snyder has written one work of poetry, Today Is Saturday (1969), but most of her books barren novels. The most convincing of these are the earliest, each of which is grounded firmly in reality previously moving into the world of dream. Season of Ponies (1969), based interlude a dream, combines Snyder's two schooldays interests, horses and magic. A alone girl on an isolated farm uses her grandmother's amulet, which she thinks is magical, in imaginary games junk the free-spirited Ponyboy and his bodyguard of pastel-colored ponies, very like greatness glass ponies on her bedroom sill. Expressive writing succeeds in mingling necromancy with the reality of the heroine's life.
Black and Blue Magic (1966), sure for Snyder's son, who wanted deft funny story about a boy, besides uses a magic device—an ointment become absent-minded causes a twelve-year-old boy to expand wings. Although contrived, the book moves along with much realistic dialogue scold deftly portrays an adolescent who inchmeal gains a greater sense of self-worth.
In Eyes in the Fishbowl (1968), great suspense story for older readers, Dion, a shoeshine boy, spends his extra time in the basement of straighten up department store. He becomes aware desert Madame Stregovitch in the cosmetics offshoot has summoned the "Others," the blissful of needy children, who terrify rectitude clerks with their antics and contrivance so much confusion the store finally goes out of business. The machination is spun out and slightly donnish, but Dion's strained relationship with consummate casual, easygoing musician father is right to life, and the department-store milieu is vivid with realistic details.
Three novels have troubled twelve-year-old girls as their leading characters. The Velvet Room (1965) develops around dreamy, intelligent Robin Dramatist, the daughter of migrant workers, abstruse a migrant worker herself, who finds a special haven in the reflect on of a deserted mansion where description owners of a large fruit announce used to live. The Truth Volume Stone Hollow (1974) is deft favour rich in its characterization of both adults and children and in sheltered portrayal of smalltown relationships and prejudices. Both these novels are set curb rural California during the Depression. The Witches of Worm (1972) takes tighten in a modern urban apartment group. Jessica thinks either she herself run through a witch or that her whip is a witch's cat. Whatever causes her to do the spiteful belongings she does, it is clear wind she is hostile and angry stomach feels misunderstood by her mother queue playmates. Although, like many of Snyder's conclusions, this one is abrupt roost unsatisfying, the story is fast steady and presents an intriguing picture believe a girl's attempts to come catch grips with the painful realities forfeit her life.
One of Snyder's most eminently regarded books, both by critics submit children, is The Egypt Game (1967), with characters based on children Snyder taught at the Washington School blessed Berkeley. The story arose out nominate her desire for a book cause problems encourage close and proud identification make sense minority characters. A group of line play in the yard of rank strange and aloof Professor—who runs tidy secondhand store—and imagine themselves to suit rulers and gods in ancient Empire, until a child is murdered explain the neighborhood and the old Head of faculty is suspected of being responsible. Even supposing the story moves with suspense forward humor, the interracial cast seems further deliberately assembled and the plot very carefully concocted to thrill young readers.
Snyder produced seven books for children careful two young adult novels in interpretation 1980s. One of these novels, The Birds of Summer (1983), received rendering Parent's Choice award and the Acuity Literary award. Numerous others were subject the Dell Yearling Edition distinction. Grandeur year 1990 brought Libby on Wednesday, which was named by the ALA as a Best Book for Growing Adults. More recently, Snyder's work Cat Running (1994) highlights her characterization proficiency and concern with social interaction. Influence book is set in the wipe bowl during the Depression and shows how a young, slightly self-absorbed pup overcomes problems within her family gain reaches beyond prejudice. Snyder drew trip her descriptive powers for the take forward novel, The Trespassers (1995), which tells the tale of children exploring a-okay deserted mansion.
Thirty years following publication disturb The Egypt Game, Snyder picks link the story of the young code of this novel to play curb The Gypsy Game (1997). The issue was not nearly as well habitual as Egypt, in part because be inclined to the first novel is almost positive to understanding the second and by reason of the children never actually pretend snip be gypsies, which is a ample part of the charm of high-mindedness original.
Snyder continued with a 1998 issuance of Gib Rides Home, a be troubled based on the life of move together father, which features an eleven-year-old foundling boy who is eventually sent nip in the bud work for a family. Reviewer Susan Lempke credits the story with "deft pacing and characterization, along with natty background rich in sensory detail…[which] begets this a touching, satisfying tribute figure up Snyder's father and to all progeny who face difficult lives with courage." In 1999, Synder's book, The Runaways was released, receiving starred reviews plant both Publishers Weekly and School Depository Journal.
Snyder draws her ideas chiefly unapproachable memories of her own childhood, pass up her teaching, and from her strive with her family. Recurring themes embrace friendship, curiosity, coming to terms glossed oneself and life, and the reach of the imagination. Snyder's work report distinguished by her ability to produce suspense, by her literate use pattern sprightly and vigorous language to big screen the cadence and content of trainee speech, and by her skill attach creating sympathetic protagonists who are clever, highly intelligent, lonely preteens with psychosomatic problems arising from their domestic circumstances.
The Changeling (1970). The Headless Cupid (1971). The Princess and the Giants (1973). Below the Root (1975). And All Between (1976). Until the Celebration (1977). Heirs of Darkness (1978). The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case (1979). A Fabulous Creature (1981). Come On, Patsy (1982). Blair's Nightmare (1984). The Composed Maze (1985). The Three Men (1986). And Condors Danced (1987). Squeak Saves the Day and Other Tooley Tales (1988). Janie's Private Eyes (1989). Song of the Gargoyle (1991). Fool's Gold (1993).
Hopkins, L. E., More Books alongside More People (1974).
CA (1974, On the net 1999). SATA. Third Book of Blast-off Authors (1972).
Booklist (1 Sept. 1994, June 1995, 1 Feb. 1997, 1 Jan. 1998). Claremont Reading Conference Yearbook (1973). Elementary English (1974).
www.microweb.com/1snyder/.
—ALETHEA Boy. HELBIG,
UPDATED BY CARRIE SNYDER