What nickname do Ken and Toby give to April in "The Egypt Game"?

Melanie is worried about starting school because she fears that April will not make friends easily in sixth grade. April is quirky, and although Melanie gets along well with her because they both have creative imaginations, she doesn't think the other sixth graders will accept April's idiosyncrasies. When Ken and Toby gave April the nickname "February," Melanie "knew everything would be all right." Some nicknames are teasing and have a hurtful tone to them. This nickname, however, isn't a belligerent way of calling someone by an unfriendly name; rather, it is an innocuous—even friendly—way of rubbing April the wrong way without meaning to be unkind. It's like the greetings Melanie's father gives April when she comes over, saying that "the cruelest month is here." It acknowledges April's unique name and personage without calling out any of her quirks in an unflattering way. The nickname Ken and Toby give April shows that they accept her—at least, as much as they accept any girl their age.

In The Egypt Game, what nickname do Toby and Ken give to April and why?

When April first starts the sixth grade, she doesn’t fit in very well—she is only friends with Melanie (they live in the same apartment building, and they both have strong imaginations). Melanie is initially concerned about the start of the school year, because she isn’t sure the other students will accept April as easily as she did. At first, April does have a hard time being accepted by other kids because her background is different from theirs, and she dresses differently than everyone else. Ken and Toby, on the other hand, are more popular. When they give her the nickname "February," it’s symbolic of April finally having gained acceptance at the school. The other students have recognized her good qualities, and the nickname is a form of gentle teasing that makes her feel like she belongs.