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2007 ALA Notable Book
If you follow Washington Boulevard past the smoky good smells of Willy Q's Barbecue, past the Style R Us hair salon where they do nails like nobody's business, past the eye-popping red doors of the Sanctuary Baptist Church, you'll finally come to a dead end. That's where our school sits. Right at the dead end of Washington Boulevard. 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... Inspired by actual events, All of the Above is the delightful and suspenseful story of four inner city students and their quest to set a math record by building the world's largest tetrahedron. Lively and fast-paced, the novel weaves together the stories of the kids, their teacher, and the community that surrounds them. Interspersed throughout the text are illustrations by award-winning artist Javaka Steptoe--as well as barbecue recipes--and even a few math problems. Readers of all ages are sure to enjoy this inspiring story of "math, life, and good-tasting barbecue!" See a picture of the real recording-breaking "Rainbow Tetrahedron" that inspired the story. Read an interview with Shelley Pearsall about All of the Above. Free teacher's guide available for download here. (PDF download)
Honors
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NEWSFLASH
Inspired by All of the Above, Copley-Fairlawn Middle School set a new tetrahedron record on May 8, 2012 by using more than 20,000 tetrahedrons to build a fifteen-foot high Stage 7 tetrahedron with a Stage 6 inside it. Congratulations Copley-Fairlawn!
> See their record-breaking creation here.
"Seasoned with recipes from Willy Q's [Barbecue], this tale sparkles as it unifies voices of pride, determination and hope."
Curriculum Connections, School Library Journal,
Fall 2006
240 pages, illustrations
Ages: 8-12
Published September 2006 by Little, Brown & Co.
Setting: Urban school
