Tree. Table. Book.

Sophie and Sophie are best friends. That is surprising since they have little in common besides their names. One Sophie is eleven years old, while the other is eight times older—eighty-eight years old. But the two Sophies visit every day and have tea. The older Sophie is starting to have memory problems. She forgets she has the teakettle on and melts it. And she forgets other things more and more.

Young Sophie finds out that her friend’s son is coming and may take his mother with him to live in a place for people with memory issues. Young Sophie tries to help her friend practice memory tests so she can stay. Young Sophie hears some amazing and sad stories about her friend’s life and learns that what we want isn’t always what’s best.

Lois Lowry has written sweet story that addresses themes of family, friendship, history, love, and loyalty that will have young readers curious about their older relatives and the lives they have lived. The writing is lovely and the characters are well-developed and realistic. Readers may be fooled by the look of this slim volume, but the story is rich and complex and deserves wide readership.