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Saving Armpit
Rocky Mountain Book Award finalist, 2013 2012 Silver Birch Express Award nominee When vandals deface the Harmony Point sign, the town does indeed seem to become the "arm pit" of the region. The baseball team hasn't won a game in two seasons and the town itself is falling into disrepair. But when the new postmaster becomes the ball coach, Clay and the rest of the Terriers finally seem to stand a chance of winning a game. Until they overhear a bureaucrat from the city say that the post office will close unless the "numbers" work out. The team begins "Operation Tennis Elbow" - a letter writing campaign designed to generate enough mail to keep the post office - and its postmaster - in town (and coaching their baseball team). And along the way, they learn the power of the pen in effecting positive changes in their community.
136 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 17, 2022
"When vandals deface the Harmony Point sign, the town does indeed seem to become the "arm Pit" of the region. The baseball team hasn't won a game in two seasons and the town itself is falling into disrepair."
Saving Armpit is a story that centers around the baseball team, just 10 kids, who try to keep their new baseball coach, and maybe even save their town. A lofty goal, but these kids are determined. That's what I loved the most about this book. It's about overcoming adversity and making little changes that could add up to big changes. The characters were all well written and fun, and the book was a quick read because of this.
I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.
5/5 stars.
I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.
Saving Armpit is a story that centers around the baseball team, just 10 kids, who try to keep their new baseball coach, and maybe even save their town. A lofty goal, but these kids are determined. That's what I loved the most about this book. It's about overcoming adversity and making little changes that could add up to big changes. The characters were all well written and fun, and the book was a quick read because of this.
I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.
5/5 stars.
I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 28, 2022
Arguably better than “Flawed Dogs”, but still bad.
June 13, 2024
Heart warming story about a baseball team in a small town that is about to lose their post office, and with it their coach. Really well done.
October 17, 2011
SAVING ARMPIT by Natalie Hyde
Non-fiction writers are known to fantasize about writing fiction, but few successfully make the leap to this differently demanding genre. Natalie Hyde has published nearly 20 non-fiction titles on topics as diverse as germ theory, micro life, and population patterns. With her first work of fiction, Saving Armpit (recently nominated for the 2012 Silver Birch Express Award), Hyde has successfully entered the land of make-believe or, as fiction has been called, the “lie that tells the truth.”
And Saving Armpit does tell truth — about what it’s like to live in a small-town close to a larger centre, and to feel your town getting ready to call it a day. The kids are especially disheartened to learn that they may lose their post office and with it Mr. Blackmore, the best coach they’ve ever had. The kids of Harmony Point (the defaced sign leading into town reads “Arm Pit”) want to be winners, but how can you ever hope to win one game if every volunteer who coaches your team barely knows the game? Mr. Blackmore not only knows baseball, he knows kids. He comes equipped with patience, kindness, and a huge sports bag bulging with baseball gear.
Now there will be new truths to learn, and the real game of baseball to be played. The kids are whipped into shape and slowly start to smell success, but, just as they get the first whiff, they must rally their forces to fight another battle — that is, save the post office. They launch a letter writing campaign, and soon reap many surprising side benefits, besides the most important one — keeping their coach.
Saving Armpit is clever, funny, and fast-paced. The kids are straight out of Beverly Cleary — that is, they are real. Boys and girls will enjoy the baseball action (I sure did); the letters interspersed throughout the book with funny names, like the magazine on cheese sculpting called Cut the Cheese. Natalie Hyde is a funny, warm writer who has successfully written a book kids will love. May we see more fine fiction coming from her imagination.
Non-fiction writers are known to fantasize about writing fiction, but few successfully make the leap to this differently demanding genre. Natalie Hyde has published nearly 20 non-fiction titles on topics as diverse as germ theory, micro life, and population patterns. With her first work of fiction, Saving Armpit (recently nominated for the 2012 Silver Birch Express Award), Hyde has successfully entered the land of make-believe or, as fiction has been called, the “lie that tells the truth.”
And Saving Armpit does tell truth — about what it’s like to live in a small-town close to a larger centre, and to feel your town getting ready to call it a day. The kids are especially disheartened to learn that they may lose their post office and with it Mr. Blackmore, the best coach they’ve ever had. The kids of Harmony Point (the defaced sign leading into town reads “Arm Pit”) want to be winners, but how can you ever hope to win one game if every volunteer who coaches your team barely knows the game? Mr. Blackmore not only knows baseball, he knows kids. He comes equipped with patience, kindness, and a huge sports bag bulging with baseball gear.
Now there will be new truths to learn, and the real game of baseball to be played. The kids are whipped into shape and slowly start to smell success, but, just as they get the first whiff, they must rally their forces to fight another battle — that is, save the post office. They launch a letter writing campaign, and soon reap many surprising side benefits, besides the most important one — keeping their coach.
Saving Armpit is clever, funny, and fast-paced. The kids are straight out of Beverly Cleary — that is, they are real. Boys and girls will enjoy the baseball action (I sure did); the letters interspersed throughout the book with funny names, like the magazine on cheese sculpting called Cut the Cheese. Natalie Hyde is a funny, warm writer who has successfully written a book kids will love. May we see more fine fiction coming from her imagination.
December 31, 2011
The Harmony Point Terriers are having a rough season. They’ve lost their first 3 games, their old coach and - thanks to vandals changing the town sign to read Arm Pit - they’ve even lost their name. It’s understandable that, when they suspect the Harmony Point post office is about to be closed, they get nervous: their new coach is the post man and they are not going to lose him as well!
Saving Arm Pit is a new twist on the classic story of team spirit and determination. The Terriers’ dream of becoming a winning team is an underlying current in the story but what occupies the kids’ minds between practices is their desire to exercise control over things that impact them and to find a way to stand up for what they value. When the kids launch a campaign to flood the post office with letters, they learn what like-minded people can achieve by working as a team, but also what individuals can accomplish by actively using their voices. Their letters are responsible for getting the town’s roads resurfaced, for acquiring new baseball jerseys and, finally, for spurring the replacement of the Harmony Point sign.
Clay, Stewy, Scott, Sophie, Tim & Tom are well-developed and relatable kids, refreshingly individualized by their respective strengths and not as “the snob” or “the bully” or “the dimwit.” You can always count on Stewy to tell you the truth; Scott is the one to turn to if you’re looking for facts and figures and Sophie brings her terrific speed and determination to every game.
Although the baseball information is easily accessible, this book never talks down to the reader. Even “unsporty” kids – like mine – will devour the plot and learn a little more about baseball as they read. The ending, too, is satisfying and affirmative while realistic – and tinged with just enough irony to make readers smile all the more.
Saving Arm Pit is a new twist on the classic story of team spirit and determination. The Terriers’ dream of becoming a winning team is an underlying current in the story but what occupies the kids’ minds between practices is their desire to exercise control over things that impact them and to find a way to stand up for what they value. When the kids launch a campaign to flood the post office with letters, they learn what like-minded people can achieve by working as a team, but also what individuals can accomplish by actively using their voices. Their letters are responsible for getting the town’s roads resurfaced, for acquiring new baseball jerseys and, finally, for spurring the replacement of the Harmony Point sign.
Clay, Stewy, Scott, Sophie, Tim & Tom are well-developed and relatable kids, refreshingly individualized by their respective strengths and not as “the snob” or “the bully” or “the dimwit.” You can always count on Stewy to tell you the truth; Scott is the one to turn to if you’re looking for facts and figures and Sophie brings her terrific speed and determination to every game.
Although the baseball information is easily accessible, this book never talks down to the reader. Even “unsporty” kids – like mine – will devour the plot and learn a little more about baseball as they read. The ending, too, is satisfying and affirmative while realistic – and tinged with just enough irony to make readers smile all the more.
Read
October 11, 2011Clay and the rest of the Harmony Point Terriers baseball team are used to losing. Their coaches have never known anything about baseball, they have mismatched hand-me-down uniforms, they lose every game. Their situation seems appropriate for their small town, which has also lost its fire and police departments and even the local government — all now amalgamated into the city of Holmesville. No one has even bothered to fix the town sign where April Fool’s pranksters painted out most of the letters so that HARMONY POINT became ARM PIT.
It seems miraculous to the Terriers when the new postmaster turns out to be a knowledgeable baseball coach with a bag of real equipment. However, as the Terriers slowly improve, it looks as if Coach Blackmore’s post office may be lost to the city, too. Clay and his friends devise a plan to keep the post office busy and open — writing to summer camps for brochures, to magazines for fudge recipes and to any government department they can think of to report potholes, sightings of rare birds, unsafe playground equipment and more. But it looks as though their efforts may be in vain.
Author of several non-fiction books, Natalie Hyde presents a fun and engaging read for baseball and non-baseball fans alike (with a convenient glossary at the back of the book for those who need to brush up). The thoughtful and observant Clay, base-stealing Sophie, statistics-crazy Scott and the rest of the Harmony Point community are drawn with humour. Hyde writes with real affection for small town life and cleverly punctuates the chapters with newspaper clippings, emails among Canada Post employees and responses to the Terriers’ letter-writing campaign.
Reviewed by Gillian O’Reilly in Canadian Children's Book News (Summer 2011, Vol. 34, No. 3)
It seems miraculous to the Terriers when the new postmaster turns out to be a knowledgeable baseball coach with a bag of real equipment. However, as the Terriers slowly improve, it looks as if Coach Blackmore’s post office may be lost to the city, too. Clay and his friends devise a plan to keep the post office busy and open — writing to summer camps for brochures, to magazines for fudge recipes and to any government department they can think of to report potholes, sightings of rare birds, unsafe playground equipment and more. But it looks as though their efforts may be in vain.
Author of several non-fiction books, Natalie Hyde presents a fun and engaging read for baseball and non-baseball fans alike (with a convenient glossary at the back of the book for those who need to brush up). The thoughtful and observant Clay, base-stealing Sophie, statistics-crazy Scott and the rest of the Harmony Point community are drawn with humour. Hyde writes with real affection for small town life and cleverly punctuates the chapters with newspaper clippings, emails among Canada Post employees and responses to the Terriers’ letter-writing campaign.
Reviewed by Gillian O’Reilly in Canadian Children's Book News (Summer 2011, Vol. 34, No. 3)
February 7, 2012
This one was so clever and funny. The peewee baseball team at Harmony Point (currently known as Arm Pit after an April Fools' Day prank) has never won a game when the new postman Mr. Blackmore volunteers to take over as coach.
"'Nah, we lose to everyone. We stink,' said Tim.
'Not everyone,' Tom argued. 'I think we beat the purple team once.'
'Only six of their players showed up that day,' Tim reminded him. 'They had to use one kid's kindergarten brother, and we lent them Dale and Sanjay.'
'So basically, we beat a six-year-old and a couple of our own players?' Mr. Blackmore asked.
'Well, maybe we only tied,' admitted Tom.
'Great. See you guys Saturday.'"
With Coach Blackmore, though, the Terriers actually begins to be able to make plays. And be taken seriously by the other teams. So when the team learns that Mr. Blackmore's job may be in danger, they take on a project to make sure that the Canada Post office in Harmony Point won't be closed. After all, they've already lost a bunch of things (including the mayor, police, and fire department) to the nearby city. So they start a letter-writing campaign to make sure the post office will have LOTS of incoming mail and won't have to close. They write to government officials, request fudge recipes, and look for team sponsors. Each chapter is followed by a letter (or an email or an announcement in a few cases) and some of the incoming letters are absolutely hilarious.
It is a great story, and would be so fun to share. Way to go, Terriers!
"'Nah, we lose to everyone. We stink,' said Tim.
'Not everyone,' Tom argued. 'I think we beat the purple team once.'
'Only six of their players showed up that day,' Tim reminded him. 'They had to use one kid's kindergarten brother, and we lent them Dale and Sanjay.'
'So basically, we beat a six-year-old and a couple of our own players?' Mr. Blackmore asked.
'Well, maybe we only tied,' admitted Tom.
'Great. See you guys Saturday.'"
With Coach Blackmore, though, the Terriers actually begins to be able to make plays. And be taken seriously by the other teams. So when the team learns that Mr. Blackmore's job may be in danger, they take on a project to make sure that the Canada Post office in Harmony Point won't be closed. After all, they've already lost a bunch of things (including the mayor, police, and fire department) to the nearby city. So they start a letter-writing campaign to make sure the post office will have LOTS of incoming mail and won't have to close. They write to government officials, request fudge recipes, and look for team sponsors. Each chapter is followed by a letter (or an email or an announcement in a few cases) and some of the incoming letters are absolutely hilarious.
It is a great story, and would be so fun to share. Way to go, Terriers!
November 13, 2012
Harmony Point is a losing town. None of their sports teams win, they are being swallowed up by a megacity, and even their town sign has been vandalized (it now reads Arm Pit). The Terriers are the town little league team and they haven't won a game in years; they also don't hit or really score at all. But this year they have a new coach, Mr. Blackmore the postmaster. He actually knows something about baseball and the team actually starts doing better. Then they find out that the post office may be closed and mail sent to the city. They decide to embark on a scheme to flood the post office with letters so it can't be closed down. Their campaign works as the town is inundated with free magazines, recipes and information. They are even able to get some things done for the town. They get the roads paved, sponsorship and uniforms for the team, an area protected for a rare bird, a new playground and even a new town sign. And they have actually won a couple of games too.
This is a fun quick read. The kids are all well done and typical kids. I loved how their efforts to keep their coach actually benefit the whole town. It is really remarkable to see kids taking such an interest and to realize what can be accomplished when you just speak up. There is a lot of baseball in the book but it is not heavy handed or too technical so even non-sports fans can still enjoy this one.
This is a fun quick read. The kids are all well done and typical kids. I loved how their efforts to keep their coach actually benefit the whole town. It is really remarkable to see kids taking such an interest and to realize what can be accomplished when you just speak up. There is a lot of baseball in the book but it is not heavy handed or too technical so even non-sports fans can still enjoy this one.
August 10, 2016
When I started reading Saving Armpit by Natalie Hyde I thought it was going to be about a camp. But, it turned out to be a book about a community coming together to make a change. The difference was that most of the community had no idea that change was taking place. I especially liked that it was the kids who banded together to write letters to bring about change. Working towards a cause can have consequences you didn’t even see! Fans of baseball will definitely enjoy this book and the changes that the team goes through. For those that don't like baseball- if you like to see people working together and making the world a better place, this is a book that you will really get into. I liked seeing the surprising things that happened once the kids started writing letters, and I also enjoyed reading the letters sprinkled throughout the book. This story will be enjoyed by kids in third grade and up. It gave me some ideas of letters I could write to make a difference in my community. Maybe I will be able to make some positive changes happen too!
June 22, 2015
This past weekend, I went over to my daughter's house to watch the granddaughters and took this book which I had won on Goodreads. My 11-years-old granddaughter read the story and then shared parts of the story with me as she was reading. We had fun discussing the recipe for FANTASY FUDGE, which she thinks I need to make now. I liked that there are some pictures, especially showing ads and letters, and a glossary of baseball terms in the back of the book.
Merged review:
This past weekend, I went over to my daughter's house to watch the granddaughters and took this book which I had won on Goodreads. My 11-years-old granddaughter read the story and then shared parts of the story with me as she was reading. We had fun discussing the recipe for FANTASY FUDGE, which she thinks I need to make now. I liked that there are some pictures, especially showing ads and letters, and a glossary of baseball terms in the back of the book.
Merged review:
This past weekend, I went over to my daughter's house to watch the granddaughters and took this book which I had won on Goodreads. My 11-years-old granddaughter read the story and then shared parts of the story with me as she was reading. We had fun discussing the recipe for FANTASY FUDGE, which she thinks I need to make now. I liked that there are some pictures, especially showing ads and letters, and a glossary of baseball terms in the back of the book.
February 29, 2012
3.5 stars, rounded up. Super cute, recomended for grades 3-4. I liked the subtle message that kids really can make a difference in their communities - maybe not the central theme of the story or the ultimate goal of the characters, but it made this story stand out for me.
Set (and originally published) in Canada. This is worth noting because of mentions of Parliament, etc. And apparently Canadians can write to government officials without being charged for postage to promote communication between citizens and their representatives. How cool is that?
Set (and originally published) in Canada. This is worth noting because of mentions of Parliament, etc. And apparently Canadians can write to government officials without being charged for postage to promote communication between citizens and their representatives. How cool is that?
August 8, 2014
Andrew LaChappelle
Do you like a book that you can read when your on the go or just at home relaxing if you do,Saving Arm Pit is for you. The main characters are Clay,Stewy,Sophie,Tom,Tim,Coach Blackmore, And Miss.Apfelbaum. The setting of Saving Arm Pit is ,The Baseball field,and The Post Office. The most exciting part i liked was when sophie was in the middle of 1st and 2nd and a person was on each base passing it back and forth but one off the catchers dropped the ball and so she ran.If you like sports books then you'll like Saving Arm Pit.
Do you like a book that you can read when your on the go or just at home relaxing if you do,Saving Arm Pit is for you. The main characters are Clay,Stewy,Sophie,Tom,Tim,Coach Blackmore, And Miss.Apfelbaum. The setting of Saving Arm Pit is ,The Baseball field,and The Post Office. The most exciting part i liked was when sophie was in the middle of 1st and 2nd and a person was on each base passing it back and forth but one off the catchers dropped the ball and so she ran.If you like sports books then you'll like Saving Arm Pit.
September 29, 2013
Ugh. The Nutmegs are so disappointing this year. This book is fine. Basic. About a crappy youth baseball team from a teeny town in Canada that get a better coach in the new postmaster but might lose him b/c the post office might be closed due to low mail flow. Kids try to save the postoffice and become a better team. Light and fun.
February 12, 2014
This book is a light hearted story about a baseball team who has not won a game but the inprove when they get a new coach. The team are doing great but when they learn that their coach might get transfored to a new post office because it's not getting any mail the kids on the team make a awesome plan to save their coach. I really liked this book
September 17, 2012
Lots of baseball, wonderful characters and great humour. I love the letters, notes and other written communiques between chapters. Everybody can make a difference sometime and sometimes going for what you want also happens to be the right thing for everybody.
February 1, 2013
While I don't particularly care for baseball, I was able to look past all of the sport references to see the bigger picture of kids fighting for their community. It is a heart-warming story and I would definitely recommend it to reluctant readers.
February 7, 2013
Judging by the cover, I expected humor, probably of the middle school boy variety. It was just earnest enough not to be truly amusing and just off-kilter enough to make it hard to take seriously. I'm not sure what exactly I wanted out of it, but whatever it was, it wasn't in the book.
July 18, 2013
This book was a very quick read. It has the typical plot of the come from behind team, win the game storyline. Characters were likeable but lacked any real depth. The book reads more like a short story. Good for reluctant readers.
August 14, 2016
This is one of the 2014 Nutmeg Nominees. My daughter and I have only one more to read from the nominee list. I was more impressed with this one than I expected. It was a cute story with a nice message.
August 9, 2019
Fun for middle grade readers! I loved the humour threaded throughout this book. Kids who like baseball will love the action on the diamond, but readers don't need to be sports fans to enjoy the way the characters come together to keep their town on the map. Hilarious.
June 11, 2011
I know nothing of baseball yet I still found this novel a very good read. Loved the humour and the twist at the end. Way to go, Gnat!
February 4, 2012
Cute story. I would recommend it to reluctant readers.
March 15, 2012
It was a great book it was about baseball and their coach was fed up with them so he quit and the new coach is way better at talking. they always win now
January 17, 2015
I loved this book!
http://dickenslibrary.blogspot.ca/201...
http://dickenslibrary.blogspot.ca/201...
December 31, 2012
okay to sum it up really short yet really cute. i liked how the kids in coming up with a campaign to save their coach, end of bettering their community in so many ways without even realizing it.
January 5, 2013
I was basically forced to read this. It's a nice light-hearted baseball story, however the Canadian setting and terminology may cause some confusion.
March 8, 2013
This is a great book for kids that love baseball. Well written with fun characters and a good cause. The ending is not obvious which is nice in a children's book.
March 18, 2013
Cute, short story about a group of baseball players who try to save their local post office - and their coach's job.
July 21, 2013
The baseball was okay, but the letter writing was awesome! The power of letter writing and the idea that even kids can change the world was really inspiring in this short novel.
September 10, 2013
A real lightweight of a book.
Bottom line of the story - working together and working hard does accomplish good things.
Bottom line of the story - working together and working hard does accomplish good things.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews