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Tree. Table. Book.
Everyone knows the two Sophies are best friends. One is in elementary school, and one is . . . well . . . in a little trouble of late. She’s elderly, sure, but she’s always been on her game, the best friend any girl struggling to fit in could ever have. The Sophies drink tea, have strong opinions about pretty much everything, and love each other dearly. Now it seems the elder Sophie is having memory problems, burning teakettles, and forgetting just about everything. It looks like her son is going to come and get her and steal her away forever. Young Sophie isn’t having that. Not one bit. So she sets out to help elder Sophie’s memory, with the aid of her neighborhood friends Ralphie and Oliver. But when she opens the floodgates of elder Sophie’s memories, she winds up listening to stories that will illustrate just how much there is to know about her dear friend, stories of war, hunger, cruelty, and ultimately love.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published April 23, 2024
104 people are currently reading
3116 people want to read
About the author
Lois Lowry
155books22.3kfollowersTaken from Lowry's website:
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always seemed to have their heads under the raised hood of a car. That left me in-between, and exactly where I wanted most to be: on my own. I was a solitary child who lived in the world of books and my own vivid imagination.
Because my father was a career military officer - an Army dentist - I lived all over the world. I was born in Hawaii, moved from there to New York, spent the years of World War II in my mother’s hometown: Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and from there went to Tokyo when I was eleven. High school was back in New York City, but by the time I went to college (Brown University in Rhode Island), my family was living in Washington, D.C.
I married young. I had just turned nineteen - just finished my sophomore year in college - when I married a Naval officer and continued the odyssey that military life requires. California. Connecticut (a daughter born there). Florida (a son). South Carolina. Finally Cambridge, Massachusetts, when my husband left the service and entered Harvard Law School (another daughter; another son) and then to Maine - by now with four children under the age of five in tow. My children grew up in Maine. So did I. I returned to college at the University of Southern Maine, got my degree, went to graduate school, and finally began to write professionally, the thing I had dreamed of doing since those childhood years when I had endlessly scribbled stories and poems in notebooks.
After my marriage ended in 1977, when I was forty, I settled into the life I have lived ever since. Today I am back in Cambridge, Massachusetts, living and writing in a house dominated by a very shaggy Tibetan Terrier named Bandit. For a change of scenery Martin and I spend time in Maine, where we have an old (it was built in 1768!) farmhouse on top of a hill. In Maine I garden, feed birds, entertain friends, and read...
My books have varied in content and style. Yet it seems that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. A Summer to Die, my first book, was a highly fictionalized retelling of the early death of my sister, and of the effect of such a loss on a family. Number the Stars, set in a different culture and era, tells the same story: that of the role that we humans play in the lives of our fellow beings.
The Giver - and Gathering Blue, and the newest in the trilogy: Messenger - take place against the background of very different cultures and times. Though all three are broader in scope than my earlier books, they nonetheless speak to the same concern: the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment.
My older son was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. His death in the cockpit of a warplane tore away a piece of my world. But it left me, too, with a wish to honor him by joining the many others trying to find a way to end conflict on this very fragile earth.
I am a grandmother now. For my own grandchildren - and for all those of their generation - I try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another."
"I’ve always felt that I was fortunate to have been born the middle child of three. My older sister, Helen, was very much like our mother: gentle, family-oriented, eager to please. Little brother Jon was the only boy and had interests that he shared with Dad; together they were always working on electric trains and erector sets; and later, when Jon was older, they always seemed to have their heads under the raised hood of a car. That left me in-between, and exactly where I wanted most to be: on my own. I was a solitary child who lived in the world of books and my own vivid imagination.
Because my father was a career military officer - an Army dentist - I lived all over the world. I was born in Hawaii, moved from there to New York, spent the years of World War II in my mother’s hometown: Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and from there went to Tokyo when I was eleven. High school was back in New York City, but by the time I went to college (Brown University in Rhode Island), my family was living in Washington, D.C.
I married young. I had just turned nineteen - just finished my sophomore year in college - when I married a Naval officer and continued the odyssey that military life requires. California. Connecticut (a daughter born there). Florida (a son). South Carolina. Finally Cambridge, Massachusetts, when my husband left the service and entered Harvard Law School (another daughter; another son) and then to Maine - by now with four children under the age of five in tow. My children grew up in Maine. So did I. I returned to college at the University of Southern Maine, got my degree, went to graduate school, and finally began to write professionally, the thing I had dreamed of doing since those childhood years when I had endlessly scribbled stories and poems in notebooks.
After my marriage ended in 1977, when I was forty, I settled into the life I have lived ever since. Today I am back in Cambridge, Massachusetts, living and writing in a house dominated by a very shaggy Tibetan Terrier named Bandit. For a change of scenery Martin and I spend time in Maine, where we have an old (it was built in 1768!) farmhouse on top of a hill. In Maine I garden, feed birds, entertain friends, and read...
My books have varied in content and style. Yet it seems that all of them deal, essentially, with the same general theme: the importance of human connections. A Summer to Die, my first book, was a highly fictionalized retelling of the early death of my sister, and of the effect of such a loss on a family. Number the Stars, set in a different culture and era, tells the same story: that of the role that we humans play in the lives of our fellow beings.
The Giver - and Gathering Blue, and the newest in the trilogy: Messenger - take place against the background of very different cultures and times. Though all three are broader in scope than my earlier books, they nonetheless speak to the same concern: the vital need of people to be aware of their interdependence, not only with each other, but with the world and its environment.
My older son was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. His death in the cockpit of a warplane tore away a piece of my world. But it left me, too, with a wish to honor him by joining the many others trying to find a way to end conflict on this very fragile earth.
I am a grandmother now. For my own grandchildren - and for all those of their generation - I try, through writing, to convey my passionate awareness that we live intertwined on this planet and that our future depends upon our caring more, and doing more, for one another."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 712 reviews
May 4, 2024
Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry was one of the most beautiful yet powerful books I have read in a very long time. Leave it to a masterfully talented author like Lois Lowry to create a friendship between an eleven year old girl and an eighty-eight year old woman. It was a friendship based on sincerity and love. I grew up reading Lois Lowry’s books and had recommended them to my students that I taught over the years but Tree, Table, Book was in a class of its own. Its message was compassionate and so powerful. I listened to the audiobook of Tree, Table, Book that was recorded as a voicegalley. I listened to it in one sitting since I was not able to pull myself away from it. It was tender, hopeful, sad and so meaningful.
Sophie Henry Winslow was an only child who grew up in a small town in New Hampshire. She was socially awkward and did not have many if any girlfriends from her school. Sophie was eleven years old which is an awkward time in any girl’s life but couple that with having to wear not so fashionable glasses and having to follow a very healthy yet strict diet of choice and you have the recipe for a life absent of any meaningful friendships. Sophie was unperturbed about this because her best friend lived right across the street from her. This friend did not attend her school, though. Sophie’s best friend was an eighty-eight year old woman named Sophie Gershowitz. The two Sophie’s enjoyed playing word games together, sipping tea in the older Sophie’s kitchen and talking about things they both found interesting.
One evening, Sophie Winslow overheard a conversation her parents were having about her best friend, Sophie Gershowitz. Apparently, the older Sophie’s son was growing concerned about his mother’s failing cognitive functioning. Sophie Gershowitz’s son was an accountant and lived in Akron, Ohio. He was planning on coming to New Hampshire to take his mother to be evaluated by a doctor. If the son’s suspicions were proven correct he planned on taking Sophie back to Ohio and placing her in a facility that would provide a safe place for Sophie to live and a place where she would be cared for. Young Sophie was not going to let that happen. Her friend was just fine. She was not going to allow anyone to take her best friend away from her.
The next day, Sophie Winslow got hold of a Merck Manual. In it she found the type of tests the doctor would conduct on Sophie. The older Sophie was able to ace many of the tests but there was one that proved quite difficult for her. It was impossible for the older Sophie to recall a combination of three words that the younger Sophie told her after a few minutes had lapsed. Young Sophie had an idea to help her friend remember those words and be able to recite the words back to her. Sophie Winslow believed that if older Sophie was able to associate a common word with a story or memory it was going to probably be easier for older Sophie to recall the words. Thus, young Sophie spoke the words tree, table, book and asked old Sophie to remember them. Young Sophie repeated the word tree and asked old Sophie to tell her a story about a tree she remembered. Sophie Winslow repeated this process with all three words. The stories that Sophie Gershowitz shared with her young friend were about her childhood growing up in Poland and her family’s experiences during World War II. Young Sophie learned so much about her best friend that day.
Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry was classified as a middle grade book but I believe that adults, (including myself) will enjoy it just as much. I admit that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. At first glance I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book. It ended up being one of my favorite books that I have read so far this year. Tree, Table, Book gave a whole new definition to the meaning of friendship. It was about friendship above all but also about love, acceptance and sharing. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sophie Henry Winslow was an only child who grew up in a small town in New Hampshire. She was socially awkward and did not have many if any girlfriends from her school. Sophie was eleven years old which is an awkward time in any girl’s life but couple that with having to wear not so fashionable glasses and having to follow a very healthy yet strict diet of choice and you have the recipe for a life absent of any meaningful friendships. Sophie was unperturbed about this because her best friend lived right across the street from her. This friend did not attend her school, though. Sophie’s best friend was an eighty-eight year old woman named Sophie Gershowitz. The two Sophie’s enjoyed playing word games together, sipping tea in the older Sophie’s kitchen and talking about things they both found interesting.
One evening, Sophie Winslow overheard a conversation her parents were having about her best friend, Sophie Gershowitz. Apparently, the older Sophie’s son was growing concerned about his mother’s failing cognitive functioning. Sophie Gershowitz’s son was an accountant and lived in Akron, Ohio. He was planning on coming to New Hampshire to take his mother to be evaluated by a doctor. If the son’s suspicions were proven correct he planned on taking Sophie back to Ohio and placing her in a facility that would provide a safe place for Sophie to live and a place where she would be cared for. Young Sophie was not going to let that happen. Her friend was just fine. She was not going to allow anyone to take her best friend away from her.
The next day, Sophie Winslow got hold of a Merck Manual. In it she found the type of tests the doctor would conduct on Sophie. The older Sophie was able to ace many of the tests but there was one that proved quite difficult for her. It was impossible for the older Sophie to recall a combination of three words that the younger Sophie told her after a few minutes had lapsed. Young Sophie had an idea to help her friend remember those words and be able to recite the words back to her. Sophie Winslow believed that if older Sophie was able to associate a common word with a story or memory it was going to probably be easier for older Sophie to recall the words. Thus, young Sophie spoke the words tree, table, book and asked old Sophie to remember them. Young Sophie repeated the word tree and asked old Sophie to tell her a story about a tree she remembered. Sophie Winslow repeated this process with all three words. The stories that Sophie Gershowitz shared with her young friend were about her childhood growing up in Poland and her family’s experiences during World War II. Young Sophie learned so much about her best friend that day.
Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry was classified as a middle grade book but I believe that adults, (including myself) will enjoy it just as much. I admit that I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. At first glance I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book. It ended up being one of my favorite books that I have read so far this year. Tree, Table, Book gave a whole new definition to the meaning of friendship. It was about friendship above all but also about love, acceptance and sharing. I really enjoyed listening to the audiobook of Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry and highly recommend it.
Thank you to Harper Audio for allowing me to listen to Tree, Table, Book by Lois Lowry through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 29, 2024
I was 17 when my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's [and 18 when her sister was diagnosed with Dementia] and it completely changed all of our lives. I remember coming home from my seven months in Brazil and finding her so dramatically changed that it was frightening [and I was 20 years old]; she had forgotten how to play the piano, something she had done since she was a child and I remember going home and crying over this loss - both for her and for all of us that loved to hear her play. She knew none of us when she died and I will always remember just how difficult that was for my Mom and my Aunt as they navigated caring for her and then the grief of her passing.
My Dad died in 2016 and within a year of that, I noticed my Mom was struggling with remembering things and how it seemed to get worse, taper off, then get worse again. She had to take the tests that Sophie in the book has to take and she also did not do well. For about 4 years, we had my great-nieces with us almost every weekend and for several weeks in the summer and it was so good for her. They were 13, 10, and 7 the last time we saw them and they absolutely knew what was going on and dealing with her forgetfulness, helping her and being little bugs of encouragement was something they did every time they were here. To those who are saying this was not how middle-graders would act or that this was "too much" for most middle-graders, are not giving them enough credit. Even our precious seven year old knew what was happening and was old enough to understand; I think that this book is perfect for middle-graders and for kids below and above; especially if they have someone in their lives that is currently dealing with this horrible disease.
Today, as I was reading this, my Mom is having a very bad day. It ebbs and flows, but as of late, it is mostly bad days. I never thought I would have to deal with this twice in my lifetime and I will admit it is overwhelming at times. I understand how young Sophie struggles with the idea of her friend going away [to assisted living] because I often think about that myself. I am glad she was able to see just how important it was for older Sophie to be safe and that she needed more care, even if it was difficult to let this beloved friend go.
This book made me cry; actually I cried through most of it. I didn't really know what this book was about when I requested it [Lois Lowry is a HUGE favorite and I just requested without seeing what it was about] and so I was surprised when the book started to learn it was about what I deal with every single day. And so I cried. I cried for the characters in the book. I cried for my Mom. I cried for those who know and love my Mom. And I cried for myself. And then I dried my tears and went and did what needed to be done for the day.
I think this book will really help people who have loved ones who are struggling with Alzheimer's, Dementia or ANY kind of debilitating illness. It is a reminder to love, and love deeply. Listen to the stories because they are important and when the loved ones are gone, you will be the only one to continue the sharing of the stories [there are SO MANY THINGS I wish I had asked my grandmother]. And I think it will help people remember that patience is the best tool to have in these cases, along with love.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lois Lowry, and HarperCollins Children's Books/Clarion Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My Dad died in 2016 and within a year of that, I noticed my Mom was struggling with remembering things and how it seemed to get worse, taper off, then get worse again. She had to take the tests that Sophie in the book has to take and she also did not do well. For about 4 years, we had my great-nieces with us almost every weekend and for several weeks in the summer and it was so good for her. They were 13, 10, and 7 the last time we saw them and they absolutely knew what was going on and dealing with her forgetfulness, helping her and being little bugs of encouragement was something they did every time they were here. To those who are saying this was not how middle-graders would act or that this was "too much" for most middle-graders, are not giving them enough credit. Even our precious seven year old knew what was happening and was old enough to understand; I think that this book is perfect for middle-graders and for kids below and above; especially if they have someone in their lives that is currently dealing with this horrible disease.
Today, as I was reading this, my Mom is having a very bad day. It ebbs and flows, but as of late, it is mostly bad days. I never thought I would have to deal with this twice in my lifetime and I will admit it is overwhelming at times. I understand how young Sophie struggles with the idea of her friend going away [to assisted living] because I often think about that myself. I am glad she was able to see just how important it was for older Sophie to be safe and that she needed more care, even if it was difficult to let this beloved friend go.
This book made me cry; actually I cried through most of it. I didn't really know what this book was about when I requested it [Lois Lowry is a HUGE favorite and I just requested without seeing what it was about] and so I was surprised when the book started to learn it was about what I deal with every single day. And so I cried. I cried for the characters in the book. I cried for my Mom. I cried for those who know and love my Mom. And I cried for myself. And then I dried my tears and went and did what needed to be done for the day.
I think this book will really help people who have loved ones who are struggling with Alzheimer's, Dementia or ANY kind of debilitating illness. It is a reminder to love, and love deeply. Listen to the stories because they are important and when the loved ones are gone, you will be the only one to continue the sharing of the stories [there are SO MANY THINGS I wish I had asked my grandmother]. And I think it will help people remember that patience is the best tool to have in these cases, along with love.
Thank you to NetGalley, Lois Lowry, and HarperCollins Children's Books/Clarion Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2024
Three simple, everyday words unearth the story of a woman’s life.
Eleven year old Sophie lives with her parents in a small New Hampshire town. She isn’t terribly popular at school…dorky glasses and a passion for good nutrition aren’t much help in that regard. But she does have a best friend whose name is also Sophie, and who just happens to be seventy seven years older than she is. The two Sophies are neighbors and enjoy spending time with one another, playing games and talking about things they both enjoy. When the younger Sophie overhears her parents talking about her friend’s mental condition (the elder Sophie’s son is coming to town to bring his mother to the doctor for cognitive testing), she is devastated at the thought of her best friend moving away to assisted living. She is not inclined to sit back passively, however; she delves into a Merck Manual to find out just what this testing might entail, and how well the elder Sophie might fare in taking it. It turns out that the one aspect of the testing with which the the elder Sophie has difficulty is in remembering three random words, given and then asked to be recalled later. Thinking of ways to help her friend remember the words, young Sophie asks her to take each word�.in this case tree, table, and book�.and think of a specific example of each to help hold on to the word. As one friend tries to help the other, stories of a childhood long forgotten come forth, and the friendship deepens even as it heads towards a major change.
In a gifted author like Lois Lowry, even simple words can have amazing power, and they certainly do in this tale of friendship and love. Young Sophie is a smart, awkward and endearing young girl who doesn’t want to lose her best friend to distance or memory loss. She searches for a way to change the course of events, and do it in a way that benefits both she and her friend. I’m sure that I am not the only person who remembers myself at that age being different than my peers, maybe more comfortable with adults than giggling girls. And i certainly am not the only person who has seen the aging process have an effect on people I love, and the worries and torn loyalties that can ensue. Reading “Tree. Table. Book.� reminds us that there are always things to learn from, and about, the people in our lives�.and it is important to do so while those people are still around to share their stories with us. A simple but powerful story, told with humor and compassion, that I recommend most highly to readers young and old, teachers, librarians�.really, to everyone. Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books/Clarion for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of this wonderful story.
Eleven year old Sophie lives with her parents in a small New Hampshire town. She isn’t terribly popular at school…dorky glasses and a passion for good nutrition aren’t much help in that regard. But she does have a best friend whose name is also Sophie, and who just happens to be seventy seven years older than she is. The two Sophies are neighbors and enjoy spending time with one another, playing games and talking about things they both enjoy. When the younger Sophie overhears her parents talking about her friend’s mental condition (the elder Sophie’s son is coming to town to bring his mother to the doctor for cognitive testing), she is devastated at the thought of her best friend moving away to assisted living. She is not inclined to sit back passively, however; she delves into a Merck Manual to find out just what this testing might entail, and how well the elder Sophie might fare in taking it. It turns out that the one aspect of the testing with which the the elder Sophie has difficulty is in remembering three random words, given and then asked to be recalled later. Thinking of ways to help her friend remember the words, young Sophie asks her to take each word�.in this case tree, table, and book�.and think of a specific example of each to help hold on to the word. As one friend tries to help the other, stories of a childhood long forgotten come forth, and the friendship deepens even as it heads towards a major change.
In a gifted author like Lois Lowry, even simple words can have amazing power, and they certainly do in this tale of friendship and love. Young Sophie is a smart, awkward and endearing young girl who doesn’t want to lose her best friend to distance or memory loss. She searches for a way to change the course of events, and do it in a way that benefits both she and her friend. I’m sure that I am not the only person who remembers myself at that age being different than my peers, maybe more comfortable with adults than giggling girls. And i certainly am not the only person who has seen the aging process have an effect on people I love, and the worries and torn loyalties that can ensue. Reading “Tree. Table. Book.� reminds us that there are always things to learn from, and about, the people in our lives�.and it is important to do so while those people are still around to share their stories with us. A simple but powerful story, told with humor and compassion, that I recommend most highly to readers young and old, teachers, librarians�.really, to everyone. Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books/Clarion for allowing me access to an advanced reader’s copy of this wonderful story.
January 14, 2024
Eleven-year-old Sophie Winslow’s very dearest friend lives next door: 88-year-old Sophie Gershowitz. They spend a lot of time together and enjoy many of the same things, including making up word games, drinking tea and eating cookies. But when old Sophie’s son, an accountant who lives in Akron, believes his mom is losing her cognitive ability, the precocious Sophie Winslow makes it her priority to prove that her best friend is as cogent as ever. And in that quest, we learn more about Sophie Gershowitz and the Old Country than we could have imagined.
Newbery winner Lois Lowry has written a book that will please adults as much as children � more probably. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Harper Collins Children’s Books and Clarion Books in exchange for honest review.
Newbery winner Lois Lowry has written a book that will please adults as much as children � more probably. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Harper Collins Children’s Books and Clarion Books in exchange for honest review.
May 31, 2024
Eleven-year-old Sophia is in denial that her best friend eighty-eight-year-old Sophie is showing signs of dementia. Sophia is determined to help Sophie pass her cognition test and in the process learns more about Sophie's childhood in Poland. A beautiful story of acceptance, friendship and memory. A must read for readers of all ages by a master storyteller!
"I began to fantasize that I could be a fixer-upper of the world. Not just slapping on new paint, but rebuilding the foundations of things, the way my dad said. I could go back to where terrible mistakes were made, and I would find the flaws, fix them, make things solid and right."
"I began to fantasize that I could be a fixer-upper of the world. Not just slapping on new paint, but rebuilding the foundations of things, the way my dad said. I could go back to where terrible mistakes were made, and I would find the flaws, fix them, make things solid and right."
August 2, 2024
A bright little jewel of a book. I feel like Lowry has transitioned from writing "a year in the life" books like Anastasia Krupnik or Taking Care of Terrific, which did always have one big event they were building to, but did it slowly, to these sort of hyper-focused single event books.
Here we have Sophie, a bright young girl, who is facing an immediate challenge with her best friend Sophie, an elderly woman. That weekend Sophie the Elder's son is coming to take her to a doctor for a dementia assessment. Sophie needs to help Sophie pass the test, so things can stay just as they are. In trying to coach Sophie the Elder, Sophie the Younger tries to get her to remember three simple words, which the older woman does, but only by telling three beautiful, heartbreaking stories about her childhood in Poland, on the eve of World War Two.
This slender book packs so much in! History! Friendship! Contemporary issues! Aging relatives! Popularity! So, you know, classic Lowry!
Here we have Sophie, a bright young girl, who is facing an immediate challenge with her best friend Sophie, an elderly woman. That weekend Sophie the Elder's son is coming to take her to a doctor for a dementia assessment. Sophie needs to help Sophie pass the test, so things can stay just as they are. In trying to coach Sophie the Elder, Sophie the Younger tries to get her to remember three simple words, which the older woman does, but only by telling three beautiful, heartbreaking stories about her childhood in Poland, on the eve of World War Two.
This slender book packs so much in! History! Friendship! Contemporary issues! Aging relatives! Popularity! So, you know, classic Lowry!
September 13, 2023
I absolutely loved this story about an 11 year old girl and her 88 year old best friend and neighbor, both named Sophie. Older Sophie is starting to show signs of dementia, and the story follows younger Sophie trying to deal with what this decline means to their friendship.
I really love that our quirkly little protagonist is a clever, well-developed character that I cared about right away. Lowry did a wonderful job of giving this story characters with their own personality and depth, and making them all so likable. It was an absolute joy to read. But don't let the words "quirky" and "joy" fool you. There were also tender and touching moments that authentically broke my heart.
I'll have no problem recommending this book to our customers, young and old. If you have a child who is also dealing with the very difficult life change of watching an elder loved one in cognitive decline, this book could offer some comfort, empathy, and understanding, along with giving an opening for discussing these topics.
Thank you NetGalley for sharing the ARC with me!
I really love that our quirkly little protagonist is a clever, well-developed character that I cared about right away. Lowry did a wonderful job of giving this story characters with their own personality and depth, and making them all so likable. It was an absolute joy to read. But don't let the words "quirky" and "joy" fool you. There were also tender and touching moments that authentically broke my heart.
I'll have no problem recommending this book to our customers, young and old. If you have a child who is also dealing with the very difficult life change of watching an elder loved one in cognitive decline, this book could offer some comfort, empathy, and understanding, along with giving an opening for discussing these topics.
Thank you NetGalley for sharing the ARC with me!
May 17, 2024
There was so much I enjoyed about this book, especially the inter-generational friendship, the gentle exploration of dementia, and the connections between writing and an individual’s life story.
Unfortunately, I feel like this book really missed the mark on helping a reader understand the significance of the Holocaust unless they are already familiar with the historical details and significance. There were also a few mentions of prejudices and assumptions that I think would go over the heads of the target audience (large Catholic families), an unhelpful view of nutrition (good vs. bad food mindset/junk food and empty calories shaming), vocabulary that is inappropriate for the target age group, and a reference to an imaginary same-sex couple that didn’t fit the plot line and felt like it was mentioned just for inclusion’s sake. The MC narrator felt younger than her mentioned age based on her storytelling and train of thought, although she was well-versed in many advanced topics, which also led to a disconnect as the reader.
I wanted to love this and had hoped to add it to our school library, but unfortunately there were too many little things that added up to keep me from recommending it.
Unfortunately, I feel like this book really missed the mark on helping a reader understand the significance of the Holocaust unless they are already familiar with the historical details and significance. There were also a few mentions of prejudices and assumptions that I think would go over the heads of the target audience (large Catholic families), an unhelpful view of nutrition (good vs. bad food mindset/junk food and empty calories shaming), vocabulary that is inappropriate for the target age group, and a reference to an imaginary same-sex couple that didn’t fit the plot line and felt like it was mentioned just for inclusion’s sake. The MC narrator felt younger than her mentioned age based on her storytelling and train of thought, although she was well-versed in many advanced topics, which also led to a disconnect as the reader.
I wanted to love this and had hoped to add it to our school library, but unfortunately there were too many little things that added up to keep me from recommending it.
August 29, 2023
I haven't read a Lowry in a hot minute and I forgot how much I love her writing. This book was incredible. If you ever teach a WWII novel or you're into WWII literature - YOU NEED THIS BOOK in your life. I cried several times at the simplicity of the three simple words that shape this novel and their profound stories,
This is the story of one best friend named Ralpie who super supports his friend's weird obsession with his dad's medical manuals. This is the story of one super adorable and precocious kid named Oliver who sees the world differently than most. This is the story of TWO Sophies: one older and one young who love each other fiercely and deeply. This is the story of three words that changed all of their lives: Tree. Table. Book.
..."and I get As in history always. I memorize the dates and the names of battles, but..." I didn't complete the sentence and finally, in the silence, she asked, "but what, my darling?"
"Those things aren't enough," I whispered. "You can't feel them. You need the stories."
YOU NEED THESE STORIES!
This is probably my top read of 2023.
Heartbreaking in so many ways, yet totally needed and hopeful.
(As my family is Polish, I appreciated the Polish words and Polish phrases sprinkled into the story as well!)
This is the story of one best friend named Ralpie who super supports his friend's weird obsession with his dad's medical manuals. This is the story of one super adorable and precocious kid named Oliver who sees the world differently than most. This is the story of TWO Sophies: one older and one young who love each other fiercely and deeply. This is the story of three words that changed all of their lives: Tree. Table. Book.
..."and I get As in history always. I memorize the dates and the names of battles, but..." I didn't complete the sentence and finally, in the silence, she asked, "but what, my darling?"
"Those things aren't enough," I whispered. "You can't feel them. You need the stories."
YOU NEED THESE STORIES!
This is probably my top read of 2023.
Heartbreaking in so many ways, yet totally needed and hopeful.
(As my family is Polish, I appreciated the Polish words and Polish phrases sprinkled into the story as well!)
July 11, 2024
A perfect circle of a story, rich in themes and humanity. I just wish I hadn’t been listening the ‘Book� portion while driving. My vision suddenly became compromised.
There was a time, perhaps after reading NUMBER THE STARS, when I found and read every Lois Lowry book I could get my hands on, and angled very hard to name our final child and only daughter, Anastasia. I was overruled. This was a decade or so before I knew my whole life would be about children’s books. I fell in love with how deftly Lowry could use a turn of phrase both to further the story and land an emotional punch. This book brought me back to those days.
There was a time, perhaps after reading NUMBER THE STARS, when I found and read every Lois Lowry book I could get my hands on, and angled very hard to name our final child and only daughter, Anastasia. I was overruled. This was a decade or so before I knew my whole life would be about children’s books. I fell in love with how deftly Lowry could use a turn of phrase both to further the story and land an emotional punch. This book brought me back to those days.
January 1, 2025
Last completed book for 2024 👍🏼
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Powerful and moving book 📖
3.6 stars 🌟
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Powerful and moving book 📖
3.6 stars 🌟
May 25, 2025
Everything has at least a primary audience and a secondary audience. To me, I felt like this book had the primary and secondary audiences switched. It's a middle grade/upper elementary book, and the vocabulary, main protagonist age, and length all point towards that audience. However, it's secondary audience felt like adults and sometimes I felt like those two audiences got mixed up. I really liked the book, and I think it would be great for younger readers learning to work with, understand, and get along with those in their life who are growing older and might need more assistance. It can open doors to wonderful conversations about those who are different from us and groups and cultures effected by WWII. All that said, I did find our main character Sophie a bit annoying. Sophie has a desire to control everything in her life and that includes what her friends eat and how her neighbor lives. She experiences some development and character change by the end of the book, but I would have liked to see more.
May 14, 2024
She’s the best of the best, Lois Lowry.
From my kid (11), who felt compelled to write her first ŷ review:
Tree. Table. Book. was a real sad, happy, nerve-wracking, and sometimes funny book. It really shows how much a connection can be. I help kids with special needs sometimes, and I think Oliver is on the autistic spectrum because he showed more than twenty signs of autism. I also relate to Oliver because I am a person with ADHD and anxiety. I related to what he said a lot. Sometimes I don’t really get jokes and feel left out, like he does. But he always knows what is right and in his gut. And that is why Oliver is my favorite character. In conclusion, Tree. Table. Book. is now one of my favorites.
From my kid (11), who felt compelled to write her first ŷ review:
Tree. Table. Book. was a real sad, happy, nerve-wracking, and sometimes funny book. It really shows how much a connection can be. I help kids with special needs sometimes, and I think Oliver is on the autistic spectrum because he showed more than twenty signs of autism. I also relate to Oliver because I am a person with ADHD and anxiety. I related to what he said a lot. Sometimes I don’t really get jokes and feel left out, like he does. But he always knows what is right and in his gut. And that is why Oliver is my favorite character. In conclusion, Tree. Table. Book. is now one of my favorites.
June 13, 2024
Tree, Table, Book is another well-written story by Lois Lowry that both middle-grade readers and adults will enjoy. The story revolves around a close friendship between a socially awkward eleven-year-old girl and a spry eighty-eight-year-old woman who has been showing signs of dementia and may soon need to live in a nursing care facility. But the young friend plans to try to prevent this from happening.
July 22, 2024
Lois Lowry can most certainly tell a beautiful story.
January 22, 2024
Tree. Table. Book by Lois Lowry is about an eleven year old girl and her neighbors and her relationship with them, especially her elderly neighbor who is showing signs of dementia. While I had high hopes for this book I was really disappointed for a couple of reasons. The first one being that for no other reason than the current LGBT agenda is there one line in the whole book about a same sex couple. It had no bearing on the story. It’s like a bot just threw it in. The second reason is that the story felt like it should be written for an older person. My elven year old would not be interested in this book. She would have given up on it before it got to the good part where the elder Sophie shared her secret. This book could have been so much better than it turned out to be.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion.
August 3, 2023
Lois Lowry has cornered the market in explaining big topics in such a gentle way that young adults can understand and I am here for it.
Sophie and Sophie are best friends, neighbors and 66 years apart in age. They are an unconventional pair, bonded by name and location but their relationship is so sweet. When old Sophie’s memory starts to go, young Sophie has to come to terms that her best friend may need something more than she can give.
This truly is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship and learning the hard things softly. Wonderful for children that perhaps know someone going through Alzheimer’s in the family and want to make sense of it a bit more.
**Thank you, NetGalley for a free advance copy! All thoughts are my own.
Sophie and Sophie are best friends, neighbors and 66 years apart in age. They are an unconventional pair, bonded by name and location but their relationship is so sweet. When old Sophie’s memory starts to go, young Sophie has to come to terms that her best friend may need something more than she can give.
This truly is a heartwarming tale of love, friendship and learning the hard things softly. Wonderful for children that perhaps know someone going through Alzheimer’s in the family and want to make sense of it a bit more.
**Thank you, NetGalley for a free advance copy! All thoughts are my own.
May 1, 2024
Wow; this one packs a punch! It's a pleasure to watch young Sophie grow and learn to accept what's best for others isn't always what's best for you. I adored her and elder Sophie's friendship and watching them struggle through the early stages of dementia was heartbreaking. Older Sophie's stories associated to each word were devastating and eye-opening to her listeners (young Sophie and me). It's amazing how much life and meaning we can feel when presented with one tiny word. <3
Thank you to Libro.fm and Clarion for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Libro.fm and Clarion for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2025
I loved this book. Ms. Lowry writes amazing characters with beautiful full lives. Her descriptions of their adventures and everyday moments were perfect. Yes, maybe I am being a bit over the top. I loved this book.
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May 7, 2024I love Lois Lowry. Sharing memories connects us to one another. ❤️
July 11, 2024
I have been reading Lois Lowry books all of my life. As a child, as a student of children's literature, as a teacher, librarian and mother. A Summer to Die and Autumn Street broke my very young heart. Taking Care of Terrific taught me the importance of rebellion. Anastasia Krupnik taught me to be a student of my own self. (Halcyon days of reading, for sure.) In college I saw Lowry speak on the tour of her gorgeous memoir, Looking Back. She signed it for me, which impressed my daughter just last week. That book inspired an album of black and white photographs of my family in the late 90s that I treasure. My best friend and I co-taught 5th grade one year and chose The Giver as one of our first read-alouds. We were gifted with our students' reactions to the unfolding story, demanding for one more chapter. As a school librarian, I've always known the kids who need to read Number the Stars. My own kids love the Krupniks, now, so my sister and I get to relive it all. They ask to fall asleep to Sam audiobooks most nights after I read to them. I'm afraid to break their hearts with Autumn Street, but one day I'll be brave enough, and they'll be better for it, knowing about a cinnamon-smudged fingertip. Of all of them, though, it feels like THIS ONE was written for me. What a read. I loved it and I love Lois Lowry in my bones.
March 31, 2025
Lois Lowry . . . author of about 100 books, some of which I enjoyed with my own children, others that I used in my second grade classroom and some that I still enjoy today as an adult. Such is the case with her newest book, Tree. Table. Book. It's a touching book about friendship, but friendship between an 88-year-old and an 11-year-old. To me it's also about the innocence of youth and how life tugs at our heart more as we grow older. This book will likely make you chuckle but it will definitely pull some heartstrings as well. It's simple but it's so real. Loved it!
November 11, 2024
Sweet, quick read about the friendship between two Sophies--one a 11 year old girl and one an elderly woman who is starting to have problems with dementia.
June 14, 2024
I actually really enjoyed the book but it seems a better fit for an adult than any young person. I don’t think a young person would enjoy it. I did not think the reference to a same sex couple was necessary. However, It was a beautiful weaving together of a person with dementia and remembering the holocaust.
January 20, 2024
Lois Lowry is a national treasure. The author of returns with a story of two best friends and next-door neighbors, both named Sophie, who are eighty years apart. Young Sophie, anxious and slightly controlling, hears rumblings that Elder Sophie is exhibiting signs of dementia. Desperate to fix her best friend's cognition so she doesn't move away, Young Sophie references cognitive tests in her trusty Merck manual and, through interviews, learns the story of Elder Sophie's, née Shlomit, miraculous concealment and rescue in WWII Poland.
Dementia, unfortunately, touches all of our lives. I love middle-grade novels for the way they help us process hard, universal things with hope and friendship.
Dementia, unfortunately, touches all of our lives. I love middle-grade novels for the way they help us process hard, universal things with hope and friendship.
October 1, 2024
Okuduğum en tatlı, en güzel arkadaşlık hikayelerinden biriydi. 11 yaşında bir çocuk ile hafızası yavaş yavaş silikleşmeye başlayan 88 yaşındaki bir kadın nasıl bu kadar güçlü ve etkileyeci bir dostluk kurabilir, bu nasıl bu kadar güzel bir hikaye örgüsü ile anlatılabilir. Oynadıkları kelime oyunları, çay saatlerinde paylaştıkları hikayeler, küçük Sophia'nın muhteşem gözlemleri ortaya çok tatlı bir hikaye çıkarmış.
Sophia, en yakın arkadaşı Sophie'nin demans belirtileri gösterdiğini kabullenemiyor ve Sophie'nin biliş testini geçmesine yardım etmek istiyor. Bu süreçte Sophie'nin Polonya'daki çocukluğu hakkında kendi oğlunun bile bilmediği gerçekleri öğreniyoruz. Usta bir hikaye anlatıcısının yazdığı, her yaştan okuyucunun mutlaka okuması gereken sıcacık bir kitaptı.
Sophia, en yakın arkadaşı Sophie'nin demans belirtileri gösterdiğini kabullenemiyor ve Sophie'nin biliş testini geçmesine yardım etmek istiyor. Bu süreçte Sophie'nin Polonya'daki çocukluğu hakkında kendi oğlunun bile bilmediği gerçekleri öğreniyoruz. Usta bir hikaye anlatıcısının yazdığı, her yaştan okuyucunun mutlaka okuması gereken sıcacık bir kitaptı.
August 6, 2024
A must read according to Kari. So worth the short length of time you will spend on it.
I love these two Sophies almost as much as my own Sophie. The 11 year old first person narrator is crafting her story and explaining how stories are created as the story is playing out in her life. She’s the kind of kid who keeps a list of words she despises and has the biggest, open-ist (I know I made that word up) heart. The 88 year-old Sophie has so much to teach her young friend and also is quite open to her life and what it has been and what it is becoming. This is the best kids chapter book I’ve read this year. Unforgettable book by a stellar author.
Excerpts:
What is the best way to start a book?
Her answer was the one that made me stop and think. “Begin on the day that is different.� I suppose in a way she’s right. One night, Max puts on his wolf suit , makes mischief and yikes � � that’s a different day for sure and it’s the start of Where the Wild Things Are.
She and I have many things in common. For one thing, we have the same first name. A golden retriever down the street shares it as well but I think that does not count. I DO know others with the same name. There are several Sophie’s at my school. And Emma‘s � � I am so glad I am not an Emma. (I feel a bit defensive with this awful passage)
I wanted to go right ahead to the various plat points and secondary characters, neighborhood, houses, tea kettles, Ralphie, games, Oliver and many others but I know that when you are telling, or writing, a story. it helps to keep the audience interested if you insert action. so I’m going to do that right now. Action: I went into the kitchen a while ago and made myself a cheese sandwich. �
But Catsi might be in pain, I said, or hungry or lonely!
I don’t think so, my darling. I think she wanted not to be bothered by people fussing with her. She just wanted to lie quietly and enjoy Her solitude and watch the night come.
Sophie Gerowitz, has taught me many things, teaches, I mean, present tense, I am still learning from her. And I think that learning from each other is one of the most important parts of friendship.
I had told Sophie Gerowitz that I always got the dates right on history tests, always got A’s, and that was true. But I had never really got it. never understood history, how things fit together. Because I needed someone to tell me the stories, not politics and dictators but have fairies and bunnies and books. Of how things are lost and what that means and how it hurts. in order to understand how it feels to say goodbye to your dearest friend, you need to know about a flowered apron, a Jell-O mousse, an old refrigerator with ice trays and a whistling tea kettle. You need a size small T-shirt that says. Live long and prosper. You need a yardstick. maybe you, above all, need yardstick because you have to measure. everything so it fits together because you have to aim for an understandable ending.
Aaron was moving his mother to an assisted-living place in Akron. My parents said that they had looked at the website. And I could do the same and I would see it was a lovely place and she could have her cat with her, and there would be all sorts of things for her to do, a knitting group, movie nights, sing-alongs (sing-alongs? As if Sophie Gewitz would ever go willingly to a sing-along!), even group trips to baseball games. and that she would be safe and content there. At least they didn’t say happy. Safe sounded good. Content? it’s another form of happy and probably as good as it would get for Sophie Gurewitz.
Turns out it is not as easy as I first described to tell a story. One thing comes after another, and then the next thing happens but then something takes you by surprise. The story changes. sprinkling in a few adjectives doesn’t help. You have to put in� the feelings, that’s the secret, that’s the hard part. you go to sleep beside your husband, who has just retired from his job and you think that soon you will travel and play bridge. But then you wake up the next morning, and it is all over. All your plans are in pieces. you walked down a snowy road beside your mother and sister and at the end of your walk, you have turned into someone else, someone new and different, and everything is changed and you don’t know why. Blink and things are taken away.
That happened in the story that I just told to you. But other things appear and surprise you.
The future is still there just� different.
October 22, 2024
I love Lois Lowry. Who doesn’t? The mark she has left on the publishing world is indelible. That’s why I was so excited to see she had a new book out. I read it with great hope that I might read it aloud to my fourth graders, and although it is exquisite as only Lowry can do, I can’t. There are too many so-called hot topics in there that are non-negotiable for my community. I’d certainly read it to my own child if mine were still curled up in bed at home, but to read it aloud to all of my students? I can’t. And that’s what makes this a beautiful book. It’s the truth. Colorful words, same sex partnerships, and all.
Now let’s talk about how a book geared toward the MG readers about dementia is an interesting choice. Timely? Sure. Will it fly off the shelves? Probably not. But it’s a quiet little book full of quirky, lovable characters that will find its way home to the right readers as all books do.
And how about a moment’s silence for these Words of the Wiser, hmmmm?
“The future is still there, just different. You start figuring out what to make of it, and how to hang on to the memories of what has gone away.�
Now let’s talk about how a book geared toward the MG readers about dementia is an interesting choice. Timely? Sure. Will it fly off the shelves? Probably not. But it’s a quiet little book full of quirky, lovable characters that will find its way home to the right readers as all books do.
And how about a moment’s silence for these Words of the Wiser, hmmmm?
“The future is still there, just different. You start figuring out what to make of it, and how to hang on to the memories of what has gone away.�
March 27, 2024
I love all of Lois Lowry's books. Nothing can top the Giver quartet, but this is a great read for kids.
Sophie, our young narrator, is writing a book primarily to do with her elderly best friend of the same name. Unfortunately she overhears that Sophie maybe getting dementia. She begins testing her cognition by having her memorize words to help with her cognitive test. As the story progresses, Sophie learns the real life experiences of her best friend surviving and leaving Poland as a Jewish girl in WW2.
This is a lovely book and a perfect pairing for Lois Lowry's earlier book Number the Stars.
This digital review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's books for my review copy!
Sophie, our young narrator, is writing a book primarily to do with her elderly best friend of the same name. Unfortunately she overhears that Sophie maybe getting dementia. She begins testing her cognition by having her memorize words to help with her cognitive test. As the story progresses, Sophie learns the real life experiences of her best friend surviving and leaving Poland as a Jewish girl in WW2.
This is a lovely book and a perfect pairing for Lois Lowry's earlier book Number the Stars.
This digital review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's books for my review copy!
May 5, 2024
Lois Lowry has done it again! The author of The Giver and Number the Stars has gifted us with another beautiful novel for the middle grades audience.
In Tree. Table. Book., we get to know the story about a unique friendship between a young girl and her elderly neighbor, the two Sophies. This is an emotional story told through the eyes of young Sophie who has just learned that her best friend may be placed in a specialized care facility soon.
While this book is written for younger readers, I truly enjoyed reading it as an adult.
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
In Tree. Table. Book., we get to know the story about a unique friendship between a young girl and her elderly neighbor, the two Sophies. This is an emotional story told through the eyes of young Sophie who has just learned that her best friend may be placed in a specialized care facility soon.
While this book is written for younger readers, I truly enjoyed reading it as an adult.
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
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