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.

This is a lovely middle-school book that, with guidance, could be used with younger children to broach the topic of Alzheimers/Dementia/Dealing with an aging grandparent/parent/friend. Either way, it should definitely be part of a larger discussion, not something that a child just picks up and reads but doesn't discuss. It's sad. It's heartbreaking. It's hard.

The book itself is a short read although a middle school student will probably need to look up some of the words, but would be able to intellectually (but maybe not emotionally) comprehend.

I love that not only does this open the door for discussions about aging, and changes children may see in beloved older people in their lives, but it also touches on subjects like the Holocaust and the very personal meanings of "friend" and "chosen family."

I'm dealing with a parent with dementia, and the effect is devastating. If I had had this book when I was younger, perhaps I could have been better prepared - or at least more knowledgeable, which certainly would have helped.

The story is b no means comprehensive. As I stated, it should be used as a stepping stone for discussion, more research, additional reading. The topics are not analyzed or presented with any depth or breadth - just a soft introduction to topics that are very difficult for even an adult to comprehend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I give this book a 5-star rating for its quality of writing and original storytelling. Originally, I didn't want to read this book but NetGalley kept asking me for my review...well, ok, I'll read it. And I am so thankful that I did and thankful that NetGallery kept asking me to get it done.
The author, Lois Lowry, took great pains to establish both the characters and the storyline. She needed to in order for the stories from Sophie Gershowitz to shine like the rising sun they were. Without the depth of development of both Sophies, the elder Sophie's stories would have been flat and without impact.
The themes of this novel are tough ones: demenia, acceptance of adults' decisions, and honest talk between non-related generational friends.

This is the story of 11 year old Sophie and her 88 year old neighbor and best friend Sophie. 11 year old Sophie is having the best summer with her neighbor and Ralphie. Then she finds out Sophie’s son is coming to move her to an assisted living facility near him. Young Sophie tries hard to prove that old Sophie is just fine and not starting to lose her memory. While doing so, older Sophie reveals things from her past that not even her son knows.

In the end I really enjoyed this story. It took a smidge to get into at first, but quickly I wanted to learn more. This is a sweet story of an inter generational friendship and is unlike one I have read before.

Lovely, poignant story of an intergenerational friendship. Sophie's best friend in the world is her neighbor Sophie Gershowitz, who also happens to be 77 years older. When Sophie Gershowitz's son becomes concerned about her growing dementia, Sophie "tests" her friends cognitive abilities, and learns more than she expected about her dear friend.
A simple summer story of friendship, acceptance, and nonconformity, and with an unforgettable voice, this will be a fantastic readaloud for middle grade classrooms and book clubs.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC.

This is the story of two Sophias. One is 11 and she is living her best summer visiting with her best friend and 88 year old neighbor, Sophia number two. When young Sophia learns her best friend’s son wants to move her to an assisted living home in Akron, young Sophia is heartbroken. When she learns it is just a simple test Sophia sets out to help her bf stay. Lois Lowry has amazing storytelling abilities. She transports you into the mind of her protagonist. This was a sweet, wholesome story about a truly beautiful friendship and what it means to have change happen.

Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of Lois Lowry and have loved everything I have read from her, so it pains me to say that I couldn’t connect with this one. The narrator was all over the place and there were ideas that were left undeveloped. There was also one politically correct line that came out of nowhere and went nowhere, so it felt out of place. I really, really wanted to love this one!

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.

Excellent middle grade plus contemporary fiction. Lois Lowry does not disappoint with her newest release. Told through the eyes of an endearing narrator, we get to know Sophie and her elderly best friend, of the same name (Sophie). I enjoyed the title thoroughly and there were so many nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout. One line of political correctness that I could have done without, otherwise outstanding!

""...I get As in history always. I memorize the dates and the names of the battles, but..." I didn't complete the sentence and finally in silence, she asked, "But what, my darling?" "Those things aren't enough," I whispered. "You can't feel them. You need the stories."

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the chance to preview this book.

This is an endearing book about an intergenerational friendship between an 11 year old and an 88 year old. The 11 year old, Sophie, claims 88 year old Sophie as her best friend, and tries to help improve her memory when her adult son decides to move her to an assisted living facility. We should all be so lucky as to have this kind of a friendship. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing an early copy of Tree. Table. Book by Lois Lowry
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I am a huge fan of Lois Lowry's writing and have a great deal of respect for her novels, particularly Number the Stars and The Giver which has been a staple in the 7th grade curriculum of our school district for many years, I read Tree. Table. Book the day it arrived on my dashboard.

This book was a disconnect for me. I had a difficult time with the unreliable narrator, 11-year-old Sophie, whose best friend is her elderly neighbor Sophie Gershowitz. Young Sophie bounces between jokes/humor and the very serious mission to administer tests for dementia on the elderly Sophie which she obtained in a medical book.

Sophie Gershowitz's son Aaron has plans to sell the Gershowitz home, take his mother back to Akron with him and place her in an elderly facility. This part of the story is not developed. For example, the reader knows almost nothing about what the Gershowitz family may have discussed and agreed to, and Aaron does not appear to be a villain in all of this. Oddly, young Sophie and her friend Ralphie enter an abandoned house on their block and imagine the elderly Sophie living there. Nothing happens with this idea, so it seems to be something else young Sophie conjures up that goes nowhere.

More than once the book dwells on the idea of Catholics having large families. This is a stereotype as I know many, many Catholic families with two or three children.

I will continue to read everything Lois Lowry