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.

Lois Lowry has a soft spot in my heart after I read The Giver in middle school. There were some beautiful, meaningful parts to this book that I loved. Overall, I felt that there were parts that wouldn’t appeal to my younger middle grade readers, and I’m not sure the MC would be appealing to older middle school readers.

Young Sophie considers herself best friends with older Sophie. When Sophie is presenting memory problems and gets diagnosed with dementia, younger Sophie creates a plan to test her memory and help her on this new path. One of her memory tests includes having Sophie remember three words and repeat them later. These words happen to connect to Sophie’s distant memories and more of Sophie’s life and history are shared. These interactions are beautiful and heartbreaking as we learn that Sophie lived through the Holocaust as a Jewish girl.




Older Sophie is brazen and may be considered an over-sharer. I listed some things below that would be somewhat controversial for my population of readers. I definitely think there are still some valuable conversations that could be had with this book.

“We create characters and pair them up. We even have a same sex couple.” - This seemed like a very bizarre way to include diversity. It was never mentioned again.

Sophie shares a memory - “Aaron was a baby and I was nursing him.” She then leaves her shirt open accidentally when answering the door and there were Mormons at the door. They had her “blushing and had me all flustered.”

Sophie describes her dress for wedding - “My boobies practically falling out of it.” I was swaying my hips, and smoking a cigarette, too…. I’m just kidding.

Sophie mentally puts a curse on Aaron at the dinner table and later mentions creating a voodoo doll.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!

While I have only read a few of Lois Lowry's many books (The Giver, Number the Stars, and The Willoughbys series), when I saw her latest on NetGalley, I requested it right away. Tree. Table. Book. is a tale of 2 Sophies - one young (age 11) and one older (age 88). They are neighbors as well as best friends. Young Sophie is wise beyond her years and has more in common with the older Sophie's generation. Their friendship takes a sad turn when the senior Sophie starts exhibiting signs of dementia. Young Sophie sets herself on a mission to prove that her best friend does NOT need to move across the country to a care home closer to her son. Along the way, she discovers that her friend has some stories to tell, some of which are hard to hear.

This book is a sweet reminder of how much we can learn from our elders. It's also about accepting the things we cannot change and loving our friends throughout their challenges. Circumstances may change, but friendship is forever.

My only criticism of this book is that, at times, the narrator's behavior and thinking were very juvenile compared to her overall demeanor. I also wish the book were longer so that I could learn more about the elderly Sophie's earlier years.

This version of the audiobook has a synthesized voice which makes it less engaging than the final edition will likely be. I'm curious to hear the finished version to see which narrator is chosen and how it sounds in that format.

Thanks to Harper Audio, Clarion Books, and NetGalley for a review copy of the audiobook version of Tree. Table. Book.

As per usual, Lois Lowry gives us a book rife with lessons packaged in a story about friendship. The author is so good at presenting difficult topics in a way that is accessible for her core audience of children. In this case, one of the main characters, Sophie, has dementia, and the other main character, also Sophie, a girl who has trouble associating with people her own age, is dealing with the fact that her best friend is losing her memories. In trying to help test her memory, the younger Sophie tells the older Sophie to remember three words, and rather than remember them, the older Sophie tells memories associated with the words. In doing so, the younger Sophie learns a lot of things about her friend she didn't know, which ultimately helps her come to terms with the older Sophie's illness. All around, just a beautiful book.

I was interested in reading this book right from the start when I saw that the author was Lois Lowry. I have always enjoyed reading books by this author and Tree. Table. Book. was no exception. It is such an engaging and heartwarming story or two Sophies - one is a young girl and the other is her elderly neighbor and they are best friends. Young Sophie adores her friend and spends many happy afternoons with her. It seems that our older Sophie is starting to have some memory problems and she forgets to turn off the stove or care for things that she has always done before. Her adult son is quite worried about her safety and is thinking about taking his mother way to a care center - away from her home, her friends and little Sophie. So young Sophie decides to show everyone that her friend is not forgetful by helping her improve her memory. The real joy 0f this book is in the stories that Sophie shares with her younger friend - all about her childhood, cruel events from her past and true love. It deals with some pretty serious issues but with great care and tenderness. A really beautiful tale of love and friendship. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Lois Lowry's Tree. Table. Book. is a beautiful story of friendship between two people who share the same name, Sophie, but drastically different life experiences. It's the story of an elderly woman and an 11 girl, who happen to be neighbors and had become bosom friends. It's such a wonderful friendship that they share. Narrated by the younger of the two women, the voice Sophie brings to the book is unique and fun. She is an intelligent 11-year old who is honest about her thoughts and her fears. Her best friend, 77 years her senior and her next door neighbor, is dealing with the onset of dementia and is going to have her cognition tested; if she fails the test, is going to need to move to another city in another state to be closer to her son. The younger Sophie is in denial and determined to keep that from happening, so she gives her neighbor a practice test which leads to the telling of three stories -- three beautiful, yet difficult experiences that bring history to life and give the younger of the two women a glimpse into what life was like for Jews during WWII.

Wow! What a well-crafted story. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio & Clarion Books for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book was wonderful. It told the story of a young girl who was best friends with her elderly neighbor who was dealing with dementia in its early stages. She does not want her best friend to be moved away to a facility and works on memory tests with her. Through these tests she learns about her remarkable life and how she survived. I think it does a great job explaining dementia to younger readers. My only hesitation about the book was the main characters fixation on healthy food; for some readers who may already struggle with disordered eating this could be unhealthy for them to read.

I was excited when I got an arc of Lois Lowry's newest book, " Tree. Table. Book." However; I felt it was a little flat. It was on the shorter side and had some sweet and sad moments, but didn't really do anything for me. It was a good book, but not one I think I would recommend to others.

Tree. Table. Book.
by Lois Lowry
Three words. The three words that you need to remember: a test that you need to pass in order to maintain your independence or if you fail, you may need to hand in your car keys and move away from your home.
Eleven year old Sophie wants to take care of her best friend, 88 year-old Sophie Gershowitz. Once younger Sophie finds out that her friend may have to leave their small town in NH to live with her son in Ohio, she decides she needs to help the elder Sophie pass the test so she can stay in NH.
By making her practice remembering, the reader finds out about Sophie’s past, a history that no one else knows. Her history reveals the secret of who Sophie was and how she survived when her family did not.
I recommend this poignant intergenerational story of friendship, memories and loss.
#netgalley

I received this audiobook from Net Galley for review purposes. This is another wonderful novel by Lowry! The audiobook was phenomenal. It was easy to follow, and I honestly enjoyed it more than I did when I read it on my owns I will be adding this audiobook to my middle school library’s audiobook platform.

Tree. Table. Book. is a lovely story about an unlikely friendship. Lois Lowry has been a favorite since I was young and it felt wonderful to fall into her words again. This little story flowed beautifully, was sharp and intelligent while still leaving me feeling warm and nostalgic. Lowry is a master of walking that line in her storytelling! I enjoyed the audiobook, but will be buying hard copies for my store.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced Audiobook!

Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry

This book is about the unlikely friendship between two Sophies - one who is 11 and one is 88. It was a short easy read that kept me wanting to know the outcome, even though I realized part way in what young Sophie wanted the outcome to be. 🥹🫶🏼


This book is set to release 4/23/24. I received an ARC (a synthetic audio version) from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

#netgalley #treetablebook #goodreads #bookstagram #literarypearlsof23

Sophie is a precocious eleven year old whose best friend is 77 year older than she is. When Sophie learns that her elderly neighbor might be taken to a memory care unit, Sophie sets out to understand dementia and how she might be able to help. What she discovers is not a cure for memory loss but a way to make it meaningful.

Lois Lowry has always been good at saying a lot with only a few words. I'm a little over the precocious child gimmick, mostly because I think it goes over young readers' heads, but while I suspect some young readers will find this difficult, it's both short and meaningful. It's one of the more tasteful pictures of WWII that I've ever chanced to read and a beautiful reminder that history isn't about the facts; it's about the stories. And sometimes fixing someone isn't the answer when really it's the world that needs fixing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Lois Lowry has written a warm and resonant story of an unlikely friendship.

It’s common knowledge in town that the two Sophies are best friends. One is in elementary school, and the other is elderly. As life does in the aging process, things are changing for elder Sophie who doesn’t seem to be her usual self. Still, 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, forgetting she turned on the stove, 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, So she sets out to help elder Sophie’s memory, with the aid of her neighborhood friends Ralphie and Oliver. Her attempts open the floodgates of elder Sophie’s memories, as she shares long ago memories that illustrate just how much there is to know about her dear friend, stories of war, hunger, cruelty, and ultimately love.

This is a beautiful story but I don’t know how well middle grade readers will take to it. As a former care giver to my elderly mother, this book was beautifully touching to me.

I love Lois Lowry and have read all of her books. Each one I have found resonates with a young person in a different way and I think I have recommended them all to young readers over the years of teaching/being a librarian. However, I really can't think of young readers that I would recommend this to. It was interesting to me and the story resonated with me, but it was slow moving and I found the 11 year old protagonist old beyond her years, which sometimes is hard for young readers to connect with. She was able to understand almost intuitively the nuances of her friend's dementia, history as a child during WWII and perceive her young friend's social awkwardness. I think these things would be lost on most children. My own 12 year old certainly doesn't have the context for any of those things, and most kids her age wouldn't "get" the subtle story Sophie tells about her life in Poland as a child, While I think it was a beautiful story on the whole, and I can see adults really loving it, I just can't see children clamoring to read it. It also ended rather abruptly, which was disappointing. I give this 3.5 stars because the writing was so well done. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

TREE TABLE BOOK BY LOIS LOWRY publish April 2024. Lois Lowry does it again! This is a poignant story of two Sophia. One Sophia is a social struggling elementary girl. The other is a struggling elderly best friend. And a friendship that will last forever darling. This is a book which will become another Lois Lowry classic

Always a pleasure to read or listen to something from Lowry. We'll definitely purchase this one for our library.

I’ve been reading a lot of middle grade novels lately so I can find new and exciting books to add to my middle school classroom library. Many of these books are full of youths getting into trouble and finding a way out. This one went a little deeper though and had a more serious tone. I believe it could be somewhat of a classic, but not one of my favorites. I also don’t love the synthesized narrator’s voice so it is possible that made the book a little less appealing.

Publication Date: April 23, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I like the narrator of this book. I also like the audio book voice. For the most part, the story flows well , and I like the characters, but it has a pretty sad ending. It's kind of about life, in general, and different ages. Just overall not my favorite story, I guess.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

A touching story by the famous author who brought us the award-winning “Number the Stars” and “The Giver” among others.
Sophie is in elementary school. She not really good at things like sports or music and doesn’t have many friends her age. Her best friend is the elderly woman also named Sophie who’s her neighbor. But elder Sophie seems to be having some issues with her memory and things like burning teakettles and forgetting her son is coming to visit seem to be happening often. The son who feels Sophie should leave her house next-door which both Sophies are upset about. One day while they are having tea, the old woman seems to drift back to a time decades before when she escaped her hometown to come to America and relays the heart wrenching story.