All of the Above

by Shelley Pearsall, Javaka Steptoe (Illustrator)

Based on a true story, All of the Above is the delightful and suspenseful story of four inner city students and their quest to build the world's largest tetrahedron. Weaving together the different personal stories of the kids, their teacher, and the community that surrounds them, award-winning author Shelley Pearsall has written a vividly engaging story about the math, life and good-tasting barbecue. Filled with unexpected humor, poignant characters and quiet brilliance, All of the Above is a surprising gem.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Mathematics, School, African American

234 pages, Library Binding

First published September 6, 2006

About the author

I have written seven novels for youth (ages 10 - 14) which have reached a half-million readers around the world. I'm currently working on several new projects, and I live an ocean-hopping writing life, moving between Scotland and the US.

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where I used to write stories in a bedroom closet (aka my writer’s office). I tried to get my first story published when I was thirteen. However, it took about twenty years before I succeeded. My first novel, Trouble Don't Last, was published in 2002. It received the Scott O'Dell Medal for Historical Fiction, among other honors.

In my seven published books, I've explored a wide range of topics and themes: geometry, pyramids, Elvis impersonators, art, neurodiversity, World War II, the Underground Railroad, and more. I've always believed in the power of books to build bridges and start conversations.

Over the years, my books have received many honors and accolades including: ALA Notable selections, Best Books of the Year, Amazon Book of the Month pick, Scripps National Spelling Bee bookclub selection, National Council for the Social Studies selections, and many state reading award nominations. They have been translated into Japanese, Korean, and Turkish.

Currently, I divide my time between Ohio and Scotland -- where I live in a renovated barn surrounded by hills with lots of sheep! I offer virtual visits and writing workshops for schools in the US and internationally. If you want to know more, check out my website: www.shelleypearsall.com.

Reviews

[Chloe Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shelley Pearsall's book "All of the Above" is an encouraging story of four inner-city Cleveland, Ohio kids, Sharice, James III, Rhondell, and Marcel, and their math teacher Mr. Collins. It starts off with Mr. Collins being sick and tired of not being paid attention to in class. He comes up with an idea to start a project of building the biggest tetrahedron ever built, so he gets together a club after school with some students to get started. James III hates the idea, but Mr. Collins promises James an A in the class if he does it, so James gives in. Throughout the story we learn a little more about each character and their unique past. Sharice, an outgoing girl who is always the teacher's pet is more than she seems. She is a foster child, living with various neglective foster parents throughout her life. Marcel, the son of Willy Q from Willy Q's BBQ is forced to work at the resturaunt all the time. Rhondell, the quite smart girl who becomes Sharice's good friend and has big dreams of going to college. Finally, James III, a big trouble-maker who just sits in the back of the classroom doing nothing during the project and has a passion for drawing. After getting extremely far on the pyramid, James's attitude changes toward the project after he elects himself president after Marcel, the old president has to leave early everyday due to his job at Willy Q's. His character really changes throughout the book which gravitates me to like him. One day the gang comes into the classroom and they are devastated to see what has happened. Read "All of the Above" to find out what!

My favorite part of the book is when Aunt Asia, Rhondell's aunt becomes Sharice's new foster mom. I had always liked Aunt Asia's character because she is very outgoing which reminds me of myself! I also liked how Sharice's attitude changed and she wasn't so gloomy and secretive anymore, she was back to her old self! I also thought it was a very brave act of kindness for Aunt Asia to take on a child and I love the relationship the two of them have.

I would rate this book a 6/10 because although it was a very inspiring book, it was a little slow and predictable for my taste. I, as a seventh grader, read more advanced books and this book just didn't have the advanced plot and vocabulary I find enjoyable in other books. I would recommend this book to fifth and sixth graders because it has an intermediate vocabulary and plot, but with very serious topics discussed in the book. It discusses the death of parents, the foster system, neglection, poor families, and other serious matters children under fifth grade might not be ready to discuss. Overall, it was a cute book with an inspiring story that was based on true events, but it was a little bit young for my age.

[Matthew Winner · Rating 4 out of 5]

YES (but not for grades 4-6) for black-eyed susan.
NO for our school library.

While this book was fantastic, I don't think it's a good fit for students in grades 4-6. Some of the issues it deals with would be lost in their lack of understanding while others are just not appropriate for their age level (though I realize this opinion can be challenged).

All of the Above retells an historic record set by the students of Alexander Hamilton School, an urban middle school in Cleveland Ohio. A math teacher, disappointed by his students failing grades and apparent lack of interest in the class, challenges his students to break a record set in California for a record-breaking tetrahedron (comprised of tetrahedrons, pyramids made of four equilateral triangles).

The story is told through the voice of four African American students and a handful of adults (the story progresses as each character forwards the plot, never telling two chapters back-to-back). The four children each carry their own personal baggage. One girl desperately wants to get into college despite feeling the cards are stacked against her. Another has been passed from foster home to foster home and is currently under the care of a neglectful foster. A boy works at his father's barbecue stand but dreams of doing anything different. Another, James, struggles under the criticism and accusations of his whole school thanks to a bad reputation and a worse older brother who abuses drugs, has a felony record, and a gang of friends who beat up on James.

The story is excellent and very well-written. The right audience will greatly appreciate it, I know I did!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was something you can pick up and set down 3 days later! The characters were so realistic and interesting that it just pulls you in. A truly unusually great story is hard to pass by, so pick up this book and get comfortable!

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is based on a true story about four kids living in the inner city. One lives with his uncle, and brother who is in a "gang." Another lives with her foster parent who is out all night long with her boyfriend. The 3rd lives with his dad who owns a bbq restaurant, and the last lives with her mom and aunt. In math class, one day nobody is paying any attention, and the teacher gets really mad. He decides that the class should try to beat the world record of the largest tetrahedron ever. He tells some of the students they need to come if they want any math credit. A few other kids come just for something to do. The four keep working on it all year after school until somebody rips it all down, they are all devastated. Find out hat happens in this AMAZING story!

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

I read this to see if I wanted to add this to my classroom - answer, no. Interesting book and more interesting that it’s a true story, but a white woman making up hardships for black children is a pass from me.

[Kelly Korpowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

"All of the Above" by Shelley Pearsall is based on a true story of a middle school breaking a world record-the largest tetrahedron. The book focuses on 4 different teens bonding together to build this large structure. Each chapter has a different narrator explaining their perspective. Similar to the tetrahedron having four sides, each of the four children has a side that seperates them from the judgements placed on the old middle school and the "dead-end" students who go there.
Each of the students (James, Sharice, Rhondell, Marcel) join a club organized by their teacher Mr. Collins, to build the largest tetrahedron. James, the rebel of this novel is there to earn a passing grade in math class but soon becomes president of the club and entirely involves himself with the project. The outgoing student, Sharice is neglected by her foster non-parents so she goes to the club meetings to waste time until her parents get home. Rhondell's dream has always been to go to college, despite her mother's harsh beliefs. So she is in the club to increase her chances of getting into a college. As the character's relationships begin to develop, each of the 4 four kids bloom into better people, or their family life blooms.
My favorite part of this book was when James sees his name in the paper for his work on the pyramid. I thought it was sweet how Marcel added the final piece of the tetrahedron in recognition of James.
I gave this book a three out of five stars because it was predictable. Overall I felt that something was missing from the plot. When we went on our field trip to see Shelley Pearsall, she explained the symbolism of this book. The four children for the four sides of the tetrahedron, and how each of the children's personalities represented different parts of the figure and how they all stand together. I noticed symbolism also in the way Pearsall ended the book for the children, we never found out if Rhondell made it to college, if Marcel became a movie star, if Sharice was adopted or ended up living with Asia, and if James ever resolved any conflicts with his brother and uncle. The symbolism in this is that even though they completed the structure in real life, the school this story is based on ended up closing a few years later. So not everything worked out despite all efforts. The author attempted to make the story deep, but a math pyramid is difficult to make deep, so the plot was dull and the story then became directed for younger readers.

[Bethany Eckman · Rating 3 out of 5]

All of the Above by Shelley Pearsall is a story about four 7th grade students (James Harris III, Sharice, Rhondell, and Marcel) who attend Washington Middle School in Cleveland, Ohio. Their math teacher, Mr. Collins, forms a club for them because of the class's constant misbehaving. He's hoping that from this club/project that his students will gain more love for math and hopefully behave more appropriately. The project he came up with was to build the largest paper tetrahedron - which is a geometrical fiqure with four equalateral triangles. In order to break the world record, theirs had to be made 16,384 smaller tetrahedrons. Throughout the novel, you are taken through all four different point of views from each main character. You find out about their heartrending back stories, along with their home and social lives. The story isn't based as much upon building the actual tetrahedron, but rather the kids bonding and developing deep friendships with each other.

My favorite part of the story was when Aunt Asia (Rhondell's Aunt) adopted Sharice. Sharice had been with 5 foster parents ever since the deaths of her mother and grandma, so I was happy reading about this. I felt a lot of sympathy towards her, and was very happy when she was adopted. In addition, both Sharice and Aunt Asia had more outgoing and bubbly personalities, which I can relate to, so it made the story even more enjoyable to read about.

This wasn't my favorite book to read. In my opinion, this plot was rather dull and predictable. It was an intriguing storyline with trying to break a world record, but I wish they focused a little more on them building it. Overall, it was an okay book, but I think I was a little too old for it. I would recommend this book to kids in grades 4-6, because it's easy to read and understand, and it also teaches the important and valuable moral in believing in yourself.

[Tristan · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of the Above is a story about four kids who live in a poor neighborhood and go to Washington Middle School. The four kids names are Rhondell, Sharice, Marcel, and James Harrris III. James hates school, especially math class. When the school's math teacher, named Mr. Collins has a project idea of building the world's largest tetrahedron, after he feels that his students aren't appreciating his class, he gets two girls named Rhondell and Sharice to join the club. Rhondell is a quiet and smart girl who hopes to go to college someday, and Sharice is smart, and independent. Marcel also joins the club. Marcel is a funny and he works at his dad's (Willy Q's) barbecue. James has to stay on the first day too because of detention. On the first day, Marcel is named club president. But one Willy Q finds that Marcel is late to help him with the restaurant, Marcel has to step down from club president. Of all people, James is the new club president.

For months, the club builds tiny tetrahedrons for their project. Until one day, when Sharice accidentally leaves the math room door open. Someone breaks in the open room and vandalizes the math project. All four kids and Mr. Collins are devastated and the math club breaks up. But James tries to get the club to reunite and he succeeds. The club tries again to build the tetrahedron. Read on to find out if they successfully rebuild the tetrahedron and if the students get in the Guiness Book of World Records.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5 because there was a lot going on and the author, Shelley Pearsall, did a great job describing all of the characters. I also liked how she switched from all of the characters points of view. I would recommend this book to anyone in 6th grade or older. I really liked this book and so would you!

[Maddie Harden · Rating 3 out of 5]

"All of the Above" by Shelley Pearsall is an interesting book. This book is about a team of inner-city school kids named James Harris III,Marcel,Sharice,and Rhondell trying to break a world record in math. In takes place in Cleveland,Ohio. In this story the math teacher at Washington middle school makes a math club to build the largest tetrahedron in the world. This giant triangle brings this small group together and make their dream come true. And had a Happy ending for everyone.

It is very hard for me to choose my favorite part because I was not a big fan of this book. But if I had to choose I would pick when Marcel put the final triangle on the pyramid and dedicated it to his friend, James. I liked this part because I feel it shows how the group will always be together no matter the distance.

I liked and disliked this book. I liked it because of its format. I really liked the many different point of views. I disliked it because of its very predictable plot and story. I disliked it also because of the lack of information for many characters and soooo many cliffhangers.But all-around the story was amazing.
I would recommend this book to many people. I would give it to anyone who like triumphant stories about people who no one believed in. i also think anyone who likes math would also enjoy this fun read. Also any one who likes true stories

[Adriana Gadd · Rating 3 out of 5]

All of the Above is a book that consists of four kids, James, Sharice, Rhondell, and Marcel that attempt to build the worlds largest tetrahedron. A tetrahedron a pyramid that has four faces all made of triangles. The story also goes into their personal lives. Sharice has a foster parent that doesn't take care of her. James lives with his uncle and brother who feels more like a long lost brother that he never knew existed. Rhondell has a pretty normal life but she dreams of going to college though she doesn't have the money. Marcel's dad wants him to take on the family business, Willy Q's barbque but Marcel does not want to do that.
In my opinion this book was a little too predictable and I didn't find myself wanting to keep reading as I do with other books. There wasn't much action in this book but there was a little bit of a mystery though the mystery was left unsolved. This book may have been predictable but it was still a good book filled with vivid characters, and somewhat interesting plot.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in math and geometry. I would also recommend this book to anyone who likes characters with a backstory because the backstories were my personal favorite part of the book!

[Josephine Sorrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story based on true events is based on actual events. Set in a run down middle school in a depressed section of Cleveland, Ohio. As a result, the students have zero motivation.

Frustrated by the kids' lack of enthusiasm, math teacher Mr. Collins hatches a plan based in desperation. He's heard about a school in California that broke the record for the largest tetrahedron ever constructed. He suggests to his students to try and break that record. His after-school club for constructing the tetrahedron is met with skepticism by some students, with cautious enthusiasm or outright rejection by others.

The four students who become regulars in Collins's after-school group all have their own reasons for participating --- from James, who chooses between attending math club and failing math class, to Sharice, who sees the club as an inviting alternative to another lonely afternoon in the public library. There's also Rhondell, who has big plans to be the first person in her family to attend college, and Marcel, whose after-school job at his dad's barbecue joint threatens his ongoing participation in the project.

I really enjoyed the book and wonder how much was based on fact. Sone things seemed too good to be true.

[Cormac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about some inter city kids in Cleveland Ohio who are trying to build the worlds largest tetrehedron. They form an after school math club to start building it. The group of James, Marcel Rhondell, Sharice and their teacher Mr. Collins. James at the beginning is very reluctant to help, but eventually he comes around. But when something happens they have to decide if they even want to continue building it, and a very unlikely person keeps them going. They work all the way through the summer, but do they finish?
My favorite part of the book is when the store clerk has James sign the newspaper for when James i famous. I really liked this part because it is at a point where James has changed into a happier person. i start to like James a lot more and i think it makes him happier
Overall i thought the book was okay. Its plot was very predictable, but the characters do develope really well. It was kind of boring at times and it didn't really ever have a time where I really wanted to keep reading. It didn't really ever have a moment that I didn't see coming. Overall it was a decent book, but I cant ay id recommend it.

[Michaela Montague · Rating 3 out of 5]

All Of The Above by Shelly Pearsall is about a group of middle schoolers, Marcel, James, Sharice, and Rhondell who attempt to construct the largest tetrahedron so they can make it into the Guinness Book of World Records. As they are making the structure, a problem occurs that makes the children have to start over the project almost everyone gives up. Besides James Harris. He convinces everyone to join together again and rebuild the structure.
My favorite part in this book was when unlikely friends, Sharice and Rhondell become even closer then friends. When Rhondell finds Sharice in the cold by herself little did she know that moment will change the rest of her life. I like this because it shows that even the most unlikely friends can find their way to eachother. And that someone does care about you even when you think no one does.
I would recommend this to any 5th through 6th grade students who enjoy books in different points of view. I would also recommend this to kids who enjoy math and learning about different peoples lives. In this book you will find differ4ent kinds of emotions such as, determination, heartache, hope and much more.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

All of the above is about a group of intercity kids who join a math club at there school. The clubs goal is to create the worlds largest tetrahedron. All of these kids have personal issues to deal with as well as creating the tetrahedron. These issues make the students ask themselves will they ever finish the project.
My favorite part of all of the above is when the group finally finish the project and over come ll of there obsticles. This part was my favorite part because that is when the group can finally step back and enjoy there work. I also like this part because it felt like the perfect ending to the book haw it was sort of a happy ending but not exactly.
I would rate this book a two out of five it was not my favorite book by far. I felt like it was steriotipical and predictable. Even though the book had an ending that I personally didn't expect the rest of the book was very predictable.

[Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of The Above is a story about 5 main characters and how they all come together through struggle and ignorance. The story takes place in Cleveland, Ohio. The 5 main characters are James Harris III, Rohndell, sharice, Marcel and their teacher Mr. Collins. They are in a math club trying to build a tetraheedron and break a world record.
My favorite part was more then one it was all the chapters about Marcel or Willy Q (Marcels dad). I loved how there was a recipie in all their chapters. They had very interesting attitudes toward life and they never agreed on anything.
I did not like the book because at the begining and throughout the book it was very confusing and complicated. I just thought the plot could be better. I liked that it was taking place in Cleveland but I thought the Plot was bland. The story was creative but not perfect. This book is for anyone Who likes drama and is 10-14 years old.

[Ethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate this book a three out of five stars. This book was very predictable. You could easily tell what was going to happen next. "All of the Above" by Shelley Pearsall was about four inner city kids that all had a different backstory, and joined a math club taught by teacher Mr. Collins. This math club was created to build the largest tetrahedron ever made and get into the world record books.
The four main characters were named Rhondell, Sharice, James Harris III, and Marcel. Rhondell was the smart one who wanted to be quiet, Sharice was the shy one, James was the tough one but eventually blossomed into a totally different person, and Marcel is the energetic one who wants to be a movie star or a comedian.
Overall this book was an okay book. It was very predictable, and only kept you reading by hinges. I would not recommend this book to people who want a good read, but to people who like realistic fiction and math stories.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...You'll finally come to a dead end. That's where our school sits. We know there's a lot of people out there who think our school is a dead end. And that all the kids inside it are dead ends, too... But they've got it all wrong... Just you wait and see..."

All of the Above was an inspirational story about 4 inner-city students and their teacher who dream of making the world's largest tetrahedron. Although there were parts of this book that were boring and almost annoying, altogether this book was a nice, quick read. It was short, and Shelley Pearsall developed the characters, but not to an extent that I could hate and/or be annoyed with them. I don't know a perfect word for this story, but I'd most likely use one of Rhondell's college words, "inspirational". I'd also use "cute", but that's only four letters, and it doesn't sound right, however true it may be.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminds me of Because of Mr. Terupt for a slightly older audience. We have the four kids who are overturning society's expectations, the teacher (who, for once does NOT come across as a Jesus-y inspiring perfect figure), and the ambitious math project, which, honestly, seemed of questionable educational value.

This book felt a little too afterschool special to me and all the characters sounded the same. But I liked it, and I think students will too, particularly students who are still grappling with inferring deeper meanings into texts. I think they'll catch on the themes of overcoming obstacles, defying stereotypes, and the importance of relationships.

[Regina Araiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a teacher and a group of the students trying to break a wold record of making the biggest pyramid of tetrahedron out of paper. I think this a really good book because I like book that show each of the character's point of view and their inner thoughts. What I have enjoyed about the book, are the characters and their personal struggles. People interested in comedy and witty stories should read this book. Its main purpose is seeing each of their characters overcome their conflicts and create their project successfully. The lessons taught in the book are maturing, and working together with people you usually wouldn't to create something great.

[Tierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the book. They were all building a Tetrahedron to beat the world record , until...... sharcie left the door open. James brother friends camed and detroyed it. Sharcie blamed it on herself, but she did not mean to leave the door open , she had to find somewhere to go at nightime, her foster parents #5 never home at night. Towards the end they rebuiled it and beat the worl record.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I liked this. I'm used to YA novels about struggling characters containing sappy and contrived dialogue, but this story flowed naturally. The author was obviously trying to show the characters in an inspirational light, but their changes seemed plausible.

[Arya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminded me of Because of Mr. Terupt. This book, like Because of Mr. Terupt, is about a group of students and their teacher, and both are narrated by many different people. Each person has a very different voice, and, in my opinion, it takes a huge amount of skill to be able to do that.

[Erin Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eclectic group of urban middle schoolers attempt to build the world's largest tetrahedron, a challenge presented by their math teacher. This was a fast, catchy read, and I cannot wait to use It for Read It Forward this spring.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about math...and so much more. I hate math. I loved this book. Go figure!

[Eric Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this story - a novel, but it's based on a true story - would focus more on math, but at its heart it's a story about humanity. I'm always a bit reticent of the urban underdog narrative, especially when a boring white teacher, in this case Mr. Collins, somehow transforms his students merely by presenting a contest to enter. What bothers me, I think, is then how the narrative shifts focus to the potential this after-school club harnesses in its members while leaving behind the everyday drudgery of Collins' class, which no doubt still exists because, at least in my experience, teachers do not - whether through obstinacy, lack of time or resources, or sheer mental fatigue - change their teaching practices overnight. So there's this whole other side of the story not being told, but that's not the point. No one wants to read about boring math class; they do, however, want to hear about the tetrahedron project (If you can't already tell, I have a teacher bias toward novels about the teaching profession). Here enters our cast of characters - the troublemaker, the brainiac, the misunderstood, the charmer. They could be The Breakfast Club. In all seriousness, though, it's a solid read. Each character has a dynamic arc, there is a major hurdle to overcome, and by the end they are all changed people. Critiques: I thought the BBQ recipes were a bit unnecessary, a YA ploy, and I do wish we were given more scenes of the team members actually learning the math behind their project instead of gluing small tetrahedrons together, but the project functions as a plot device to bring the characters together and present them with an opportunity for growth. Alas, this is no Stand and Deliver. Regardless, the book holds up. I would recommend it for younger, more reluctant readers. The story moves quickly, is steeped in reality, and has plenty of pivotal moments to sustain reading.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I did NOT read the ebook. I merely chose it because it has the cover art that my copy has, and I really don't have the time to add another edition. Yep, a bit lazy on my part, but oh well.

Second, I read this because our school system has chosen it for the Middle School Battle of the Books. I'm slowly but surely making my way through those titles, and this looked interesting.

Third, it's a pretty good read! And now I'm off to copy the tetrahedron template...as I'm wanting to try my own hand at building one. And wondering if this might be an interesting teen program idea for the library. Hm...

(ps - an easy read, too, as it took me about 2 hours to finish)

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently become a HUGE fan of this author. She writes everything from amazing historical fiction to contemporary fiction, to stories based on current, real-life events. I first became aware of her when her book ALL OF THE ABOVE showed up on the Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominee list for 2010-11 in Division II (5th -7th grade).

If you are a middle school or young adult reader, or you know one, these books are excellent. ALL OF THE ABOVE is based on the true story of a middle school class in Ohio trying to break the world record by building the largest freestanding paper tetrahedron. The four distinct voices of the narrators are genuine and engaging. Regardless of where you live or who you are each reader will find feelings and perceptions with which to identify. By the same token, each reader will also then use those similarities to really experience the differences among the characters in the book as well. Personally, this type of layered reading experience within a story is one of the things that makes a book precious to me.

Having read ALL OF THE ABOVE and enjoyed it so thoroughly, I went looking for more of Ms. Pearsall’s work. I also visited her website, which is quite informative and interesting to explore.

Her first novel was TROUBLE DON’T LAST, which I just finished. It tells the story of Samuel, an 11yr old boy born into slavery in Kentucky. He never knew his mother, as she was sold before he could walk. One night Harrison, the old man who has taken care of him, wakes Samuel and takes him along as they run toward freedom in Canada. The viewpoint throughout the story is Samuel’s. I was drawn into the story by Samuel’s very clear, genuine voice. I could feel his fear, and his horror, his wonder and his sadness amidst deplorable circumstances. Shelley Pearsall says that she felt much had been written about the Underground Railroad, but there were few personal accounts and she tried to capture that in this story. In my opinion she succeeded.

The next novel of Ms. Pearsall’s I read this summer was ALL SHOOK UP. This is set in the present. The main character is a 7th Grade boy whose parents are already divorced at the beginning of the story. His maternal grandmother falls in her home in Florida and his mother has to relocate there for a few months to help her mother with her recovery. Josh is sent to live with his dad in Chicago.

Upon arriving in Chicago Josh discovers that the father who had always worked as a shoe salesman has lost his job and is now working as an Elvis Presley impersonator. Josh is mortified by this information. He even goes so far as to pick up a job application from a local video store for his dad so he can have a “real” job again. The really moving part about this novel is the honesty with which Josh speaks. We all have feelings of anger and resentment and embarrassment connected at times with our parents. It’s hard to admit those things to ourselves. We see in Josh’s gradual realization of the discrepancy between his perceptions and his father’s our own understanding of those feelings and thoughts that can otherwise fester. When Josh decides to manipulate circumstances, sacrificing his father’s goals for his own he discovers that the consequences are far-reaching in ways he never anticipated. And he discovers how to find his way back from some questionable decisions. It is a remarkable book that adds to my admiration for Shelley Pearsall and her work.

The other work by Ms. Pearsall that I have read this past month is CROOKED RIVER. This is historical fiction. The story takes place in 1812. A white trapper is murdered and a Chippewa man is accused of the crime. The narrator is a young girl whose father is resposible for taking the young Chippewa prisoner and chaining him in their attic until his “trial.” Again, there are many details within the story that are based on actual individuals and circumstances although all the specifics of the main characters are fictional. Like all her other work, this story came alive right off the pages for me.

This book in particular poses a dilemma for young Rebecca: (1)she knows her father is a cruel individual; (2) she is afraid of him–and of doing anything against his wishes; (3) she knows that she has always been taught that “Indians” are ‘savages; then she begins to really observe the young man in her attic, and she communicates with another man who believes Indians (in this case, Native American Chippewa) are the same as settlers like himself–and like Rebecca. Now she must decide on her own if she must act and how she must act.

Although Rebecca’s dilemma is much more severe than those we face on a daily basis, doing what we believe is right in the face of possible physical, mental, emotional, or financial consequences is no less a hallmark of our character. Rebecca’s dilemma and decision provide an excellent springboard for discussion about majority rule, mob mentality, individuality vs. accepted viewpoints, even personal values. It also allows each reader the opportunity to look inside herself at what qualities Rebecca possesses that I would like to emulate and in what ways can I make sure my actions support what I believe about people.

In conclusion, Shelley Pearsall has been my favorite author discovery this year (last year it was Barbara O’Connor). I highly recommend her books and encourage other readers to seek them out! You will not be sorry!

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

22 August 2006 ALL OF THE ABOVE by Shelley Pearsall, Little Brown, September 2006, ISBN: 0-316-11524-X

Sharice:
"As we get closer to finishing, I start having dreams about what's gonna happen when we do. In most of my dreams, there is this big flash of light when we finish the tetrahedron and our school isn't a crumbling, peeling-paint building anymore. It's rainbow colored. (I know this sounds kinda weird.) And our giant pyramid sits on top of the school roof shooting out colors all over the neighborhood, like spotlights. Houses turn shades of red, and orange, and blue. And people stop their cars and roll down their windows to take pictures of the sight." That their one-of-a-kind tetrahedron building project gets off the ground at all is astounding in itself.

ALL OF THE ABOVE is a tale of four inner city public school kids -- none of whom are initially friends -- and their math teacher. The teacher, Mr. Collins, acknowledges that he was frustrated with his teaching, his school, his students, and himself when he impulsively announced his brainstorm: a plan to have students come together in an extracurricular math club for the purpose of building a stage seven Sierpinski tetrahedron.

"What the heck is a stage seven Sierpinski tetrahedron?" you might (or might not) be tempted to ask. Well, as I learned, thanks to Rhondell, the member of the student quartet with private dreams of one day attending college, it is a structure composed of 16,384 little tetrahedrons which, in turn, are three dimensional geometric shapes that have four faces, each of which is an equilateral triangle.

And to understand what about this particular book caught my eye -- a book that was formerly to be found amidst my stage seven mountain of review copies -- is to get a sense of my life-long affinity with numbers and mathematical concepts. For front and center on the book's cover is that key number 16,384, a number I instantly recognized as being part of my habitual childhood recitation of the exponents of 2. You know, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, 8192, 16384...

Oh...you didn't walk around middle school with those sort of things streaming through your head? Well, regardless, readers will be intrigued by the four urban students (and the teacher) who are all facing personal challenges inside and outside of school:

James Harris III:

"I stare at the window behind Collins and think about how good it would feel to jump out that window and send all that glass flying into the air like one of those jagged comic book pictures with the word 'CRASH' written above it. Get out of school, Collins' class, all the other dumb teacher's classes -- and never come back."

Marcel:

"Ain't spending the rest of my life working at Willy Q's Barbecue. Saying sweet things to customers who don't deserve sweet. Smiling like I care about selling rib bones and chicken wings and pig meat.
"Ain't joining the Army either, like my daddy thinks. Won't salute nobody. Least of all, him."

Sharice:

"You see, foster non-parent #5 (Jolynn) doesn't allow anybody at home when she isn't there and since she isn't there most of the time, I'm not allowed to be there either. Which is why I mostly end up sitting in the blue plastic library chairs, or in the mall food court, or riding around on the city bus (or wherever I can find a seat without too many weirdos or drunks around)."

Rhondell:

"Sometimes I imagine college as a big wooden door where you have to knock and say the right password to get in. Only people who know big words like metamorphosis and epiphany are allowed inside. So, I think I try to save all the words I can because maybe, deep down, I believe they will somehow get me inside college without money or luck.
"But around here if you talk and act like you have dreams, or as if you think you are better than everybody else, it only causes trouble. So, I keep most of my college words locked up in my head, and I try to make it through each day by saying as few words as possible. 'She's quiet' is the way most people describe me, and I figure being quiet is just fine because it means you won't be bothered."

ALL OF THE ABOVE vaguely reminds me of The Breakfast Club. In this case you meet these four random students who just all happen to be in the same math class when their frustrated math teacher decides to launch a seriously wacked math project and all four kids wittingly or unwittingly find themselves captive to the process. And me, the former math team member, found myself right there with them.

So join in. Grab yourself a stack of colored paper, some scissors, a glue gun, some munchies, and partake in the Tetrahedron Club.

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.com
BudNotBuddy@aol.com
Moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/middle_... http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/facult...

[Stephanie Pieck · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story that reminds us about the importance of learning to stand up for our dreams, even when no one else thinks we should. The book also shows how a teacher's passion for his subject is rekindled by unlikely champions. Very heartening for another teacher of an "unnecessary" subject--music.

[Katie Flannery · Rating 4 out of 5]

"All of the Above" by Shelley Pearsall is about a group of children from the dilapidated city of Cleveland trying to set a world record. The main characters, Sharice, Rhondell, James Harris III, Marcel, and Mr. Collins, start a math club in the run-down school of Washington Middle School on the dead end of Washington Boulevard. They each tell their stories and points of view in their own individual chapters. These 5 strangers work together to combine tiny triangles and make the world's largest tetrahedron made up of 16,384 pieces. They put in so much hard work and fight through many obstacles to make their far-fetched dream come true.
There were many different parts of this book that I enjoyed. They mostly involved Sharice and when she tells her background story. I liked how she was able to share her story and I thought she was one of the most developed characters in this unique novel. Sharice is not afraid to be loud and be herself, but she also knows when she wants to keep things to herself. Although she comes from a rough background, she is very outgoing and thankful and any one would love to be her friend. She knows how to prove people wrong. My absolute favorite part is when Rhondell and her Aunt Asia find Sharice outside the in the cold, unpredictable weather of Cleveland, Ohio. They take her in and find out all the secrets about her rough life as a child.
I would recommend this book to children in between 4th and 7th grade. It is a very easy to understand and it contains very easy words. Younger children may be confused with the topic of tetrahedrons so you may have to do some research. I rate this book a 4/5 stars because it has very predictable ending with some unpredictable changes in between. I would love to read more of Shelley Pearsall's books and it was amazing to meet her in person. (by the way the recipes are real!)