Wednesday, August 28, 2013

What Will Happen To Harmony Point?


Their town is falling to pieces. Their baseball uniforms don't match; the sign to their town has been vandalized and now says Armpit instead of Harmony Point. To make matters worse it look like the big city is moving in, and their small town lives are being taken over. When the beloved post mistress retires, everyone is curious about who will take her place. The kids can’t believe it when the new postmaster also becomes their new baseball coach. Their team has been on a losing streak for forever. No one can even remember when they didn’t get creamed in a game. But, the new coach has them working together and uses drills to help improve their skills. It looks like they might have a chance at scoring some runs this season, until they find out the post office isn’t managing enough mail and it may have to close. The kids can’t lose their new coach and decide to start a mail brigade. They try to find clever ways to get mail running through their town. When they find out that writing to government officials doesn’t require stamps, they each decide to write to different causes that they are interested in to ask for help improving their town and generating mail. Will things finally turn around? Will the mail brigade really work? Is it possible for kids to make a difference in a community? Will the post office close and the new postmaster move to the big city? You will have to read this story to find out what happens in Harmony Point.

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!

Has anyone else read Saving Armpit? Or have you read another book by Natalie Hyde?  If so what did you think of it? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!
~L

30 comments:

  1. I have not read it but it has the feel of one of those great books that teaches about communities.

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    1. Patty- It definitely teaches about community. It is a great book to read with kids to get them involved. :) ~L

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  2. Sounds like a lovely story. I'm adding it to my list. :)

    ~Akoss

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  3. I had to laugh at the Armpit sign. The blurb is wonderful.

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    1. M. Pax- I agree- the Armpit sign is funny. :) ~L

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  4. The whole armpit thing will certainly appeal to young kids. Sounds like a great lesson teaching book.

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    1. Heidi- I know kids will love the "armpit" references. :) It is a great book to help teach the importance of working to make your community better. :) ~L

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  5. A heartwarming story with Armpit in the title? That's fantastic.

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    1. Libby- I know, right! Who would have guessed. :) ~L

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  6. This sounds like such a sweet read! :)

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  7. Sounds like a wonderful story. Thanks for posting!

    NAs

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  8. Sounds like a great story about teamwork. You always spotlight books I haven't heard of. I have to start a list, as my nephews are about the right age for this.

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    1. Ruth- It is a great story about teamwork. So happy I am introducing you to some new books. :) ~L

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  9. "a book about a community coming together to make a change" -- sounds like a positive and uplifting story!

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    1. Damyanti- It is an uplifting story. It is important to remember what we can achieve if we work together. :) ~L

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  10. I haven't read it, but I love the cover and baseball so it is a must read now! I love the sound of this book. I really like the idea of the mail brigade. Thanks for sharing (oh, and the vandalism to the town sign is hilarious!).

    Paul R. Hewlett

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    1. Paul- I would say fans of baseball will definitely enjoy this one. It is a great book and I learned a lot from it too. :) ~L

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  11. Sounds like a wonderful book that could lead to discussions about communities. A perfect read for both homes and schools I would have thought.

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    1. Petty- You are right! It is a great read for school or for home. I love that it can help spark change in communities through discussions about the book and the kids' actions. :) ~L

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  12. This sounds like another wonderful children's book, I love the ones that teach them a lesson about community service. I like the name too...something that should grab attention.

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    1. Anna- I love the ones that teach lessons too. This title is definitely unique. :) ~L

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  13. This sounds like it has a lot going on. It's a great way to introduce kids to becoming involved. I wish I had read a book like this. It's always good to help your community or causes you care about. Love the name - Saving Armpit. It reminds me of Holes (:

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    1. Adriana- The name Armpit reminded me of Holes too! I agree with you that it is always good to help your community. When we work together we can bring about real change! :) ~L

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  14. I love the title and premise. I haven't read this author yet, but I like the sound of this book.

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    1. Medeia- It was my first time reading a book by this author. It was a fast read.:) ~L

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  15. Hope the mail brigade works, and yes, kids definitely CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! When I read the title 'Saving Armpit,' I giggled and went 'eww...' but the storyline sounds incredibly uplifting. And I love reading novels sprinkled with letters, too. I'll look for this from my library. Thanks, ladies!

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    1. Claudine- I was so surprised when I started reading this book. I thought Armpit was a person when I looked at the cover. It is so important for people to remember that we can make a difference. If we don't try then things won't change. The letters were lots of fun too. Happy reading! :) ~L

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