TREE. TABLE. BOOK. by Lois Lowry, Clarion Books, April 23, 2024, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 8-12)
Tree. Table. Book., a middle-grade novel by Lois Lowry, is the story of an unlikely friendship that defies age.
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. —Synopsis provided by Clarion Books
Tree. Table. Book. unfolds from young Sophie’s point of view. And it does so in a rambling, sort of stream-of-consciousness way that will speak to author Lois Lowry’s audience. In fact, Lowry clearly knows her audience and writes directly to them. And she tackles a hard topic in a way that doesn’t diminish its seriousness or ignore readers’ intelligence. It’s the mark of an excellent writer, and Lowry is one.
Young Sophie’s voice is clear from the start. She’s that quirky type of kid we all know that does things her own way, doesn’t quite fit in with the other kids and is OK with it. She’s a vibrant character who readers will immediately like.
The relationship between the two Sophies is tender. Many readers will equate the relationship to their own with a grandparent. And many will also recognize cognitive decline and the effect it has on everyone.
At its heart, Tree. Table. Book. is a book about friendship. It’s a wonderful read that would be an excellent choice for families to read together when facing similar circumstances.
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