Although April and Melanie have different backgrounds, they have some things in common that help them forge a strong friendship. They are the same age, live in the same apartment building, and go to the same school. However, the most important similarity they share is that they both have strong imaginations and like immersing themselves in a world of make-believe. While some girls their age would have looked down on Melanie's paper-doll family game, April is able to engage in it with Melanie. Both of them are in sync when they play the Egypt game. They build on each other's ideas and are able to cooperate and not compete with each other. They are also in agreement on many things, including whom they should allow to join the game. They have similar attitudes about boys; in general, they don't want to hang out with boys, but they find Ken and Toby funny and interesting. April and Melanie become close friends because they enjoy a style of play that relies on active imagination and the ability to lose themselves within a make-believe world.

What are the similarities between April and Melanie in The Egypt Game?

Starting with simple similarities, both characters are young women that live in the same neighborhood; however, there is a lot more that is similar between these two characters. Both girls are incredibly intelligent and very imaginative. This is one reason why they are able to work so well together in creating the entire Egypt Game. Melanie might be the girl that introduces the concept of imaginary games to April through the paper dolls, but April is incredibly receptive to the idea and helps enhance it through her own imaginative powers. For example, it is April that immediately knows what to do with the abandoned lot.

Both Melanie and April are also both incredibly loving, caring, and patient with younger kids. The best evidence for this can be found in how both girls treat Marshall. Marshall is a four year old kid, and that is not an easy age to incorporate into a lot of things, but Melanie is an excellent big sister. She never tells him to get lost. In fact, she actively looks for ways to include Marshall in her life's activities.

April is also incredibly tolerant of Marshall. While April can be aloof, she is not this way with Marshall. April and Melanie both take Marshall for walks while Mrs. Ross is gone, and they help make him feel welcome in all of their imaginative games.