Tree Table Book by Lois Lowry

"I'm going to tell you three words. I'm choosing them at random. Listen carefully. This will be important.

House.

Umbrella.

Apple.

Remember those. I'll explain later."

Sophia (known as Sophie) is aged eleven and her best friend is Sophie Gershowitz. Sophie is eighty-eight years old and she lives next door to Sophia. Sophia wants to tell us the story of Sophie. Sophia once received some advice about writing: "Begin on the day that is different."

Ralph is a kid in her neighborhood. Ralph's dad is a pediatrician and so he owns a copy of The Merck Manual which is a reference book for doctors. And there is Oliver who is seven and on the autism spectrum. So, Sophia has three friends - Sophie her Friend of the Heart; Ralphie her same age friend; and Oliver.

Sophia loves check the Merck. Sophia needs the Merck because she has overheard a conversation about her best friend Sophie's health. Sophia is also a medical hypochondriac and her medical dilemmas are sure to make you laugh.

"There is something about a book; the feel of it, the weight of it in your hands, the way the pages turn (pages in the Merck are very thin and extremely serious-seeming, the cover is leather, and there are built-in index tabs."

Aaron, Sophie's son, is coming from Akron. Sophia's parents tell her Sophie will take a test to check her memory or we would say cognition. This gives Sophia  a brilliant idea. She can help Sophie pass this test - all it will take is some training. Sophia is sure Sophie has good eyesight and good hearing but sometimes she seems to miss smells and often Sophie finds very stinky things in her fridge. She also sometimes forgets to turn off her kettle. 

If you have an elderly parent or grandparent you might be familiar with the tests for dementia - one of the questions involves remembering three objects - hence the title of this book - the short-term memory test. Over several days, as Sophia asks the test questions, we gain an insight into Sophie and her life in Poland, her husband, and the holocaust. Sophia uses the three-word test as a way for Sophie to recall her childhood and Sophie tells three stories - the tree with the berries picked too soon by the children; the table at the baker shop that Sophie was not allowed to visit; and the book of fairy tales that her mother returned to the rich owner - the house where Sophie was hidden over the war years.

Lowry is famous for dealing with difficult subjects in her work, which has occasionally been banned, and as young Sophie encourages older Sophie to delve into her long-term memories, it becomes clear that this is also a novel about surviving the Holocaust. Three brilliantly told stories from Sophie’s Polish childhood form the climax of the novel, contrasting very effectively with young Sophie’s charming, insouciant 21st-century kid voice (captured to perfection by the 87-year-old Lowry). The Historical novel society

When the test prep unlocks memories of Sophie G.’s childhood in Poland during World War II, Lowry conveys with sensitivity and realism Sophie W.’s sorrow upon realizing that things she’s only learned about in school have had a painful, lifelong impact on her beloved friend. Book Page

Read more plot details here.

Readers aged 10+ who enjoy personal stories and stories about kindness are sure to enjoy Tree Table Book. Sophia has such a determined attitude and voice. You should also look for these in your local or school library:

Girl 38 Finding a Friend

I'll keep you close

Just like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard

First-time novelist Lindsey Stoddard hits a home run with this touching story of a rough-around-the-edges but loveable protagonist. Kids Book a Day

Her name is Robinson - that's her first name. Do not call her Robin! Robinson is a champion at playground snow baseball and an expert with car repairs. She is a feisty girl who should not be crossed but she also has a longing in her heart. Robinson knows nothing about her mother. She knows her mother died just after she was born but her grandfather refuses to talk about her. Then the worst possible thing happens at school. The teacher sets an assignment to draw and present a talk about their family tree. Robinson only has one person in her family. This assignment is NOT going to happen. She also has to contend with a bully at school and now she has been dragged into group counselling sessions with a special teacher oh and that bully kid is there too!

Meanwhile her grandfather's memory is failing. Charlie is still okay with working on cars in his mechanics business and Robinson is always thrilled when she can work there too but at other times he keeps forgetting his words and misplacing every day items such as his favourite flannel shirt. There is also a crisis on the day they are pouring the maple syrup and his hand is badly burnt. It seems certain someone will report her grandfather and they will be separated. Robinson knows she has to fight against this no matter what.

Luckily there are kind people in her life. Her friend Derek, Harold who works with Charlie at the garage, Harold's partner Paul (they are about to adopt a baby), Ms Gloria the school counsellor, and Candace another kid in the counselling group.

Here are a few text quotes to give you a flavour of this story:

"Plus the ground is thawing and the sap is running and Grandpa could use my help collecting it from the maple trees we tapped, then boiling it into syrup. School just gets in the way of the stuff worth doing."

"he didn't do anything wrong except get given a bad kid."

"It makes me wonder if she can see into Grandpa's tired memory and if she knows that sometime he leaves his keys in the refrigerator and the milk by the door."

"There are only three places in the whole world that make me feel like this, I'm not sparky at all. Third base where Jackie Robinson played; our sugar maple trees in the backyard; and in Grandpa's garage fixing something that's broken."

"I'll never be able to find any memories. And I'm scared he's forgetting his. Then I'll never know."

"Her eyes are blue. Not baby-blanket wussy blue ... they're windshield washer-fluid blue. Like they could scrub-the-streaks-and-smudges-and-bird-crap-right-out-of-you-blue."

"I can only remember my mom and feel that feeling in my gut that I get when I remember she's dead because I'm alive but I don't even know why because Grandpa is closed up so tight."

"I'm so sad at Grandpa's brain because I don't know how to diagnose his malfunction, and I don't even know if he knows that his check engine light's on."

I started this book on a long train journey and finished it the next day but here is a warning - it might not have been a good idea to read this book in public because I sobbed (twice) near the end - I am sure the person sitting next to me on the bus wondered what on earth was going on!

This book could feel too American for an Australian child but really I was fascinated to learn about the making of maple syrup and also I don't think it matters at all that I had never heard of the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson. I also had to research shoes called Air Griffeys. 

Publisher blurb: For as long as Robinson Hart can remember, it’s just been her and Grandpa. He taught her about cars, baseball, and everything else worth knowing. But Grandpa’s memory has been getting bad–so bad that he sometimes can’t even remember Robbie’s name. She’s sure that she’s making things worse by getting in trouble at school, but she can’t resist using her fists when bullies like Alex Carter make fun of her for not having a mom. Now she’s stuck in group guidance–and to make things even worse, Alex Carter is there too. There’s no way Robbie’s going to open up about her life to some therapy group, especially not with Alex in the room. Besides, if she told anyone how forgetful Grandpa’s been getting lately, they’d take her away from him. He’s the only family she has–and it’s up to her to keep them together, no matter what.

Validating, heart-rending, and a deft blend of suffering and inspiration. Kirkus Star review

Listen to a five minute audio sample. Warning there are some mildly strong language used in this book for example the words 'crap' 'effing' and 'bull crap'. 

I previously read and loved two other books by Lindsey Stoddard.  Just Like Jackie was published in 2018 it may still be available - I read a Kindle version.

Right as Rain

Brave Like That

I have also added this book to my 'to read' list as it also tackles the topic of a family tree school assignment told by a girl with no family.

These long-loved things by Josh Pyke illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh

"I snuggle up and read you books that you read to me ... "

"I hold your hand and smile."

The text in this book is an ode to a long relationship which is coming to an end. The older adult or grandparent, is losing their memory, but the grandchild works hard to maintain a connection through shared memories. The memories come from photographs and experiences such as reading books together or eating a delicious cake with cream and jam along with visiting familiar places.

This book is a CBCA 2025 Picture Book Notable title. I think it might have a chance at making the shortlist. 

I love to think about an illustrator receiving the text for a picture book - perhaps on just one sheet of paper. There are no rules or constraints. The illustrator can use their creativity and imagination to add another dimension to the story. Picture books are such a unique art form - the combination of a literary text and art. Ronojoy Ghosh uses so many perspectives in his digital illustrations in this book along with very interesting ways of showing shadows. Each page turn is a total change of scene, colour and text placement. 

Here are some lines of the text that resonated with me:

"Words and songs and names may fade like leaves on a breeze, they might float away ... but the place in your heart where they land remains and when you no longer can, I hold your hand and remember."

Here are the very detailed Scholastic Teachers Notes.

You need to read this book very slowly and in a quiet place - try to set this mood if you are reading this book to a group in your library. This is a book you could read to children from Grade 2 right up to Grade 6. If you can allow the children to touch the cover of this book and talk about why the book designer has decided to deboss the image. With a group of older students you should also notice the dedication by Josh Pyke to his own grandmother Catherine. And talk about why the end papers are filled with autumn leaves. 

Other books about memory loss and the relationship between a child and a grandparent:

Phyllis and Grace

The Forgettery

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

Dance like a Leaf

Mr Mornington's Favourite things

To Stir with Love by Kate Mildenhall illustrated by Jess Racklyeff

I am not very good at cooking, but I can make cakes, and this is all due to my mother taking the time to show me how - letting me do some steps at first and later watching me make the whole cake myself. Even now decades later I still hear her voice in my head explaining simple steps used for all cake making about sifting the flour, the speed of the beaters, and incorporating ingredients slowly. 

The little girl in this book is our narrator and she explains how every Monday she visits her grandmother and together they make a cake. 

"It's my everything cake. ... My grandmother's grandmother gave it to her and my grandmother gave it to me."

I was so pleased to see the recipe is included at the back of this book.  I am sure this book will be a 2025 CBCA Notable title in the Early Childhood category. The publisher site has an activity pack to use with this book. 

The wonderful watercolour illustrations sweep across every page, showing a Grandma’s garden with fruit trees, vegetable garden, and lots of different colours. ... I had a lovely time looking at the various older pieces of equipment used in Grandma’s kitchen: a whisk, flour sifter, hand beater, aprons, oven mitts, milk jug, tea pot etc. Read Plus

Real life photographs of the author’s family sit alongside creative colours and montages that transport us straight into the kitchen, where it feels like we’re literally holding cups of sugar and whipping the butter. There are textures and photos and little bits of flour wafting around that actually make one’s nose tickly. Kids' Book Review

For a list of other books about the relationship between a child and grandparent take a look at this post. Companion books:

The Forgettery

Grandma's Story

A Year in Fleurville

Wolfie's Secret

Mr Mornington's Favourite things by Karen George

Mr Mornington lives next door. Our narrator, a young girl, visits him through a gap in their hedge fence. She knows Mr Mornington likes gardening, cherry cake, his woolly hat and playing his saxophone. The friends share a love of music and when he plays his sweet tunes the little girl thinks of all her own favourite things - her cat, her mum, her friends, special shoes and socks and cherry cupcakes. 

Over time, though, it is clear Mr Mornington is beginning to forget things. He offers to teach the little girl so she can become the second-best saxophone player in the world but then he forgets, and he doesn't even tell them he is leaving. Sadly Mr Mornington has now moved into an aged care home.

Our little girl is not deterred however. She is given a small saxophone and she works hard and practices and when she and her mum go to visit they take cherry cake and music. Mr Mornington is sometimes sad but sometimes, there are glorious days, when he does remember some of the things that make him happy - his wife, his dog, music, cups of tea, his garden and cherry cupcakes. You can see these things and more on the book cover. And the cherry cake recipe is in the back of the book.

Karen George uses colour and white space to express emotion: when everything is great fun there’s not much space on the pages and she uses bright primary colours; when Mr Mornington has left, rather like the use of white space in John Burningham’s ‘Granpa’, the page is almost blank, the plants have shrivelled from lack of care and an empty cup lies upturned on the floor. But when Mr Mornington does occasionally remember his favourite things, there is a riot of flowers, slippers, gardening tools, the dog, his woolly hat, cherry cakes, the radio, a car and, of course, his saxophone. And the colour remains as the girl grows older and remembers her friend when she plays their favourite song for others. Just Imagine

I would pair this with Grace and Mr Milligan. You might also think of Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge. 

I also thought of sharing The Sound of Music song - My favourite things. 

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells, and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things

Cream-colored ponies and crisp apple strudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells, and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things

Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Phyllis and Grace by Nigel Gray illustrated by Bethan Welby

"Grace's mum baked a cake. She asked Grace to take a slice to Phyllis. Phyllis lived next door."

Love Reading4Kids: Grace is a little girl; Phyllis is the old lady next door. Phyllis lives alone and her memory is fading, but that doesn't stop Grace from liking her. They find that, despite the gap in their ages, they have much in common and a moving and enduring friendship is born. This is a deeply touching story for all the family of how a little girl befriends her elderly neighbour who has dementia ...

Nigel Gray gives readers heartbreaking insights into Phyllis and her memory loss/dementia:

"Phyllis poured milk from a carton into the kettle. The milk smelt sour. Phyllis came and sat down at the table again without switching on the kettle."

"Finally, she found the slice of cake that Grace's mother had made. It was furry with mould."

"She rolled up the painting and put it in the fridge."

Strengths of this story:

• Nigel Gray does not shy away from a focus on a complex issue - dementia and also neglect (do her family ever visit - we know the house needs repairs)
• Grace is a beautiful child who is so very, very patient with Phyllis
• The story is an important portrait of kindness in action
• Gentle appealing illustrations
• A sweet ending but not one that unnecessarily tries to solve the main issue of memory loss and dementia

Things that could cause concern:

• Grace's parents do not seem to notice that Phyllis needs more help not just an occasional piece of cake or a small container of food
• Do the parents ask Grace about her visit to Phyllis - surely this young child is puzzled by the questions Phyllis asks over and over again especially about her children, husband and even her own name?
• Grace's dad comes over and repairs the broken electrical fuse but the page turn is a little abrupt - clearly Phyllis is so confused about this strange man in her house
• What does Phyllis eat? Is someone actually caring for her on a regular basis? 
• Is this story too distressing for a very young child? Or am I just adding a layer of my own adult sensibilities. We watch Phyllis decline even further over the course of the story but I guess it is good that mostly her mood is portrayed as fairly happy. 
• Reading this book could lead to difficult questions - I know these are important but that is why you need to consider the age of the child - where is her husband? Where are the children? Are they really upstairs? Why is Phyllis doing all these strange things?

This is a book you could share with one child (not a class). It does have a lot of text but more importantly you need to leave lots of room for questions. I would say this book is suitable for ages 7+ but most reviewers seem to say 3 or 4+.

Basing the story on the experience of his own granddaughter and her neighbour, author Nigel Gray’s story is told with great sensitivity and equally sensitively illustrated in Bethan Welby’s gentle watercolour scenes. Together words and pictures beautifully document the progression of dementia and how it might appear, from a young child’s viewpoint. A book for adults and children to share and discuss as gently as it’s presented by its creators. Red Reading Hub

I love this book for its gentleness, its compassionate view of the world, so much an expression of its author. What I also like so much is the respect the author shows for his readers, never lecturing or hectoring, never stating categorically what we must think, but assuming that his thoughts on the subject will be gleaned from the story itself. Living arts Canberra

I mentioned Phyllis and Grace when I talked about the 2023 White Ravens titles. 

Companion books:

Newspaper Hats

The author Nigel Gray is interesting - he was born in the UK and now lives in Western Australia but taking a look at his book list so many of his titles have UK illustrators and UK publishers. Here is an audio interview with Living Arts Canberra. Here is a sixteen minute video of the author reading his book. 

I arrived in Western Australia in 1988 (more than twenty-five years later than I’d intended) having migrated with my wife and my sons Sam and Jo, under the special category of artists and sports people of international reputation, and we have been Australian citizens since 1990.

When my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything asked if we were sent any books by Nigel Gray for CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) judging I was puzzled because I didn't think he was Australian.

Look at this list of illustrators:

• Jane Ray
• Philippe Dupasquier
• Michael Foreman
• Helen Craig

Bethan Welby who illustrated Phyllis and Grace lives in Devon, UK.

But then we have BIG Australian names such as:

• Bob Graham
• Elise Hurst
• Craig Smith
• Gregory Rogers
• Andrew McLean
• Anna Pignatoro

The Forgettery by Rachel Ip illustrated by Laura Hughes

"Granny's Forgettery was huge because she was very forgetful. She smiled as her memories washed around her. Moments of delight, lost and forgotten, fluttering in the room like butterflies. Paper thin and delicate."

I love the affirmation in this book that everyone forgets things, that everyone can have difficulty remembering - not just older people. In this story, though, memories are not lost. They are safely kept in the Forgettery. 

After Granny and Amelia discover the delights of the Forgettery, Amelia has a splendid idea. She will make a memory book filled with photos, drawings, and one more essential ingredient - love.

When you pick up this book take some time to explore the title page where you can see Granny has been sticking up post-it notes to help with her memory loss. This page almost made me cry and the story hadn't even begun. 

It is a picture book about life and love and the relationship each and every one of us has with our memories. We all forget things, from being a baby to where we put our keys or the time – the list could go on! Picture Book Perfect 123

The Forgettery won the 2022 English 4-11 Picture Book Award. You can see other books illustrated by Laura Hughes on her web site. Here is an interview with Rachel about her book. 

You will want to pair this book with:

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge

If all the World were AND Dance like a Leaf

The Long Way Home

The Long Way Home by Corrinne Averiss and Kristyna Litten

This is one of the saddest little junior books I have ever read BUT I am certain a child reading this sweet story will not have these feelings.  As adults we are now so aware of the ravages of dementia. Or course this book is about an elderly elephant grandmother who has some memory loss - it is not meant to be a deep book about dementia but my adult reaction was coloured by my experiences with this horrid disease. 

Otto and Nanu love to take adventures together. Little Nanu has been to Red Rock Cave and Blue Pool but today he is so excited because they will visit Lion Mountain. Nanu, his grandmother will lead the way. 

Publisher blurb Little Tiger: Nanu and Otto are off on a climbing adventure – to the top of Lion Mountain! Otto is a born explorer, just like his grandma, who is brave and bold and can’t resist the urge for adventure. But Nanu is having a forgetting day. She forgets her backpack and the name of the mountain … and then she forgets the way home and leads them deep into the forest. Can Otto remember all the things Nanu taught him about being a great elephant explorer and guide the expedition home?

This book comes from a series of simple chapter books published by Little Tiger. It has 85 pages, with an easy to read font and vibrant colour illustrations on every page. These little books are simply perfect and I highly recommend them for all Primary school libraries. Listen to an audio sample from page 16. 

I have previously talked about:

Little Bird Lost

Two Sides

And here are some others from Little Tiger that I am keen to read:

Companion read after you read The Long Way Home:

Up the Mountain

I talked about Corrinne Averiss in a previous post - My Pet Star. You can see some more art by Kristyna Litten here. 

I have previously talked about these two books illustrated by Kristyna Litten:

Ziggy and the Moonlight Show

Norton and Alpha