I teach two of Lois Lowry's books in my middle school English class, so I jumped on the chance to read another one of her books. Eleven-year-old Sophie's best friend is her elderly neighbor also named Sophie. When Sophie's son mentions moving her due to the beginning stages of dementia, the younger Sophie sets out to keep her friend in her home. A heartwarming story of a cross-generational friendship. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A wonderful story of an endearing friendship between two unlikely people. A story of three separate words that weave together heartbreaking stories of a polish child’s experience during WWII. A story written for the audience, in the voice of a middle schooler written for middle schoolers that will completely relate to the characters. Lois Lowry continues to be a gem of an author.

great book for middle age readers. Lois Lowry really knows how to speak and get through to her younger audience. My daughter could not put this book down.

I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but knowing the author, and loving her, I had high expectations. She far exceeded those expectations. Two Sophies, one young and the other young-at-heart, are besties. I’ve found that cross generation friendships are often richest. Young Sophie overhears that senior Sophie’s son is concerned that his mom is suffering from some cognitive decline. She doesn’t want her best friend to move away. She decides to help her study by helping her remember things.
This book touched my heart like few books ever have. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC from #netgalley and #TreeTableBook The opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry.

Listen, Lois Lowry is a part of DNA, so I don't care how old I am, I'm reading her books!

This is SUCH a sweet story, and just like Number the Stars was the perfect intro into a very difficult part of our history, Tree. Table. Book. was the perfect intro into what it would be like to see a loved one suffer a tough disease. In this story a young girl has an unconventional yet heart warming friendship with the elderly lady in her neighborhood. She is distraught to learn that her older friend is about to move, taken out of her home by her son who claims that her dementia has made it too difficult to stay home. So through tests, and research our young friend works hard to prove that her dementia is NOT too bad and that she can stay close forever.

I'm giving this four stars instead of five only because the story got a little sleepy sometimes. Like I wasn't always sure about the direction it was truly trying to take. Otherwise, I would HIGHLY recommend it to my younger self, and everyone else.

I enjoyed this book... though I wish we'd know more about both Sophie's lives. Young Sophie got to be a little much.

The story of precious 11 year old Sophia and her 88 year old best friend. Lois Lowry has a way with words that is always engaging. She never "writes down" to her middle grade audience; instead having her main character be a smarter than her age and excessively perceptive rising 6th grader who also explains as she goes. Sophia's astute perceptions of her friendships and how she relates to those around her is a shining example of how every 11 year old should be,

That said, it seems a bit fantastical and presumptuous of Sophia to "test" her 88 year old best friend for dementia. I suppose dementia can touch one's life at any time, but for most 11 year old's it is far outside their realm of understanding. As a 52 year old whose mother was recently diagnosed with dementia, I can't help but ask, who is the true audience for this book? I understood Sophia's impetus and methods because I watched my own mother go through the same tests. How many middle age readers are going to be able understand what it means to be tested for dementia?

I found that the more important parts of the book were Sofie's stories of her youth in Poland. However, I'm not sure if those stories make the necessary impact in the midst of Sophia's methods. Maybe reading this book as an adult affects my opinion? Maybe if a parent or teacher reads this book with their child/classroom, they can guide the young reader towards a deeper understanding of the context?

There are many messages in this book about story-telling, personal history, friendship, neighborhood dynamics, and acceptance. I can't help but wonder if it's too many messages for one small book.

Tree. Table. Book. is a heartwarming tale that revolves around the remarkable friendship between two unique individuals, both named Sophie. Despite a considerable age gap of seventy-seven years, the eleven-year-old Sophie and her older counterpart become inseparable friends.

Young Sophie finds joy and fulfillment in the company of older Sophie, eagerly offering her assistance whenever needed. However, as time passes, Young Sophie begins to notice certain changes in her friend's behavior, revealing signs of memory lapses and confusion. Worried about her aging friend, she learns that older Sophie's son is planning a visit to take his mother to the doctor.

In an effort to assess older Sophie's cognitive abilities, Young Sophie uses a Merck manual and encourages her friend to memorize three words, a challenging task. With patience and love, Young Sophie helps older Sophie recall each word by associating them with personal stories from her past.

The characters in this story are captivating and distinct, each leaving a lasting impression on readers. The friendship between the two Sophies blossoms beautifully, portraying the profound connection that can bridge any age gap. This story touches upon the themes of aging and adapting to life's changes.

Through heartwarming moments and poignant experiences, readers will undoubtedly fall in love with this touching tale. Tree. Table. Book. offers a compelling narrative of intergenerational friendship, where companionship transcends age and demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit. The story reminds us that true friendship knows no boundaries and is a celebration of the profound connections that enrich our lives.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

This is a touching and bittersweet novel about the friendship between two Sophies, an 11-year-old girl and her octogenarian neighbor of the same name.

They meet when the younger Sophie is locked out of her house by accident one day and the elder Sophie comes to her rescue. The story is told through dual timelines, which show the development of their unlikely friendship and the present, in which the younger is grappling with the news that the elder likely has dementia.

Determined to help her friend, the younger Sophie finds a copy of the Merck Manual and consults it, seeking answers and assistance about the elder Sophie's dementia. In it, she learns about cognitive testing, and begins to try to teach Sophie to repeat and recall three words (tree, table, book) by associating them with events from her past. The younger thinks that if the elder can pass neurocognitive testing, she will be able to continue to live independently, rather than be sent to assisted living in Ohio, near her son. So the elder Sophie begins to tell the younger stories about her past, remembering her survival as a child living in Europe during the Holocaust.

My 4th grade daughter and I read the novel and really enjoyed it. It was definitely relatable to both of us, as we are currently grappling with an elder family member's dementia. Overall, this was a poignant read about the two ends of the life spectrum. It touches upon many lessons and issues that are important and relevant for children, but it should be read and discussed with an adult.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Harper Collins Children's Books/Clarion Books, and Lois Lowry, for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Lois Lowry continues to be a master storyteller. 11 year old Sophie's best friend is her neighbor, who shares the name Sophie and also happens to be 88 years old. The characters are beautifully crafted and though the story is sad, covering themes of the Holocaust and dementia, it is also hopeful and uplifting. This book would be a wonderful addition to any upper elementary or middle school classroom library.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a beautiful book that highlight such an important and impactful relationship between a young girl and an elderly lady. It shared of loss, the power of memory and the impact of story. It is a gentle but impactful story that starts the discussion about WWII.

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.

This is a really tricky review for me. I love Lois Lowry's body of work. I studied her during my college time and have read every book that she's written. I had such high hopes for this book and I just did not love it, which makes me so sad.

I attempted reading this book with my two children, both in the middle grades target audience of this book. After listening to 1/4 to 1/3 of the book, they both asked if we could stop reading it and move onto something else. A lot of other reviewers mentioned that they would have loved a book like this when they were children, but my actual, real-life children disagreed. I finished the book by myself, but found that I just wasn't that taken by it and wasn't that compelled to keep reading.

I think the heart of this book is really beautiful. Some of the sections will stick with me. But it didn't really hit the mark. It was hard to read aloud (and as an elementary school teacher, I have a lot of practice doing read alouds) because of the many tangents the main character shares in telling her story. The main character and her elderly neighbor were wonderful, but neither of the other two children characters were very interesting to me.

I love Lois Lowry, but this one did not connect with me or with either of my voracious-reader children.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This book is gorgeous and I cannot wait to get a physical copy for my classroom. This for sure will be a read aloud for my fifth grade classroom.

Lois Lowry is such an amazing storyteller. I liked the snippets of history we got here as Sophie shares stories of her past. I would read a whole other book, just about her life.
This book really shows us the joy of unlikely friendships and acceptance. I really enjoyed seeing Sophie's relationships with others evolve, like with Sophie G., Ralphie and Oliver.
This is a quick read that will be enjoyed by many.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I loved Lois Lowry's books when I was a child but truthfully I have not read her since then. When I saw she had a new book coming out, I immediately requested it. I love the cover and the summary caught my eye. However, I wish I'd loved it as much as I hoped. I just did not connect to Sophie's story as much as I wanted to. I struggled to place the book's timeframe (until the Facetime mention, I considered this book historical fiction) and really get to know Sophie. I could tell Oliver, a kid from the neighborhood, was autistic without being explicitly told and I actually wondered if Sophie, our main character, was too. I loved Sophie learning Sophie's story and actually wanted *more* from the historical/WW2 bits and more towards the end (it felt a bit rushed).

This is a charming YA book about two Sophies, one 11 years old and the other 80-something, who live side-by-side and who are best friends, as odd as that sounds. Young Sophie learns that the older Sophie's son is coming to visit to have his mother tested for cognitive issues. Young Sophie decides to test her friend's cognitive abilities herself by using tests in The Merck Manual. One of the tests involves telling the patient 3 words and then asking her to repeat them 5 minutes later. The three titular words that young Sophie chooses lead older Sophie to reminisce about her life growing up, sharing memories and actions that are all new to young Sophie. The story is touching and unforgettable, as are the two Sophies. Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books, and Clarion Books for providing an ARC.

Tree. Table. Book. is a beautiful story about unlikely friendships and acceptance. I adore Sophie's quirky character. It was seeing how her relationships with others evolved with Sophie G., Ralphie and Oliver. I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing an advanced reader copy of the book for an honest review. Any quote(s) used in my review have been uncorrected.

Lois Lowry is a stunning author who does a great job dealing with challenging subjects for middle grade students. Perhaps I would have enjoyed this more if I had been in more of that mind-set, but I had been reading a ton of YA. The most powerful parts of this story, to me, were the stories that older Sophie was telling younger Sophie. They were stories of surviving the Holocaust, war, and hunger. But that wasn't really the point of the novel. The larger story is of what happens when a loved one starts to fall into dementia. How it can be especially troubling for a grandchild, or close friend, who doesn't want to admit that there is anything wrong.

This is the story of two Sophies who are best friends, one in elementary school and one in her 80s. The younger one doesn't have a lot of friends her age and is very scientifically minded. The elder one lives next door and on her own. When young Sophie discovers that she might be losing her best friend to an assisted living facility in Ohio, where her son lives. Sophie is beginning to show signs of dementia, but younger Sophie doesn't want to admit to that fact. Consulting the Merck Manuel, she begins to test Sophie's cognitive abilities. In an attempt to get older Sophie to remember the words tree, table, and book, she is asked to think about the words one at a time and winds up telling stories of her childhood in WWII.

This is a story that will likely resonate with a number of young readers dealing with similar issues in their families. For whatever reason, it did not resonate fully with me.

Absolutely lovely story about a beautiful multi-generational friendship between two neighbors. Lois Lowry is an incredibly gifted storyteller weaving tales that truly come to life on the pages. This would make a great read-aloud for an upper-elementary child and grandparent. I adored Tree, Table, Book and know that readers of all ages will too.