- Paperback: 288 pages
- Publisher: Yearling; Reprint edition (Mar 10 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0375839224
- ISBN-13: 978-0375839221
- Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 1.7 x 19.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 249 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,604,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2007:
"Complex characters and an infinitely readable text make this one of the strongest titles of the year."
From the Hardcover edition.
"Complex characters and an infinitely readable text make this one of the strongest titles of the year."
From the Hardcover edition.
Product Description
AUGIE BORETSKI KNOWS how to get by. If you're a scrawny loser in the destitute city of Camden, New Jersey, you keep your head down, avoid the drug dealers and thugs, and try your best to be invisible. Augie used to be good at that, but suddenly his life is changing. . . .
First, Augie accidentally steals a strange book of fairy tales. Then his mom makes him join the Big Brothers program and the chorus. And two bullies try to beat him up every day because of it. Just when it seems like things can't get any worse, an ice storm wrecks Augie's school. The city plans to close the school, abandoning one more building to the drug addicts. But Augie has a plan. For the first time in his life, Augie Boretski is not going down without a fight.
From the Hardcover edition.
First, Augie accidentally steals a strange book of fairy tales. Then his mom makes him join the Big Brothers program and the chorus. And two bullies try to beat him up every day because of it. Just when it seems like things can't get any worse, an ice storm wrecks Augie's school. The city plans to close the school, abandoning one more building to the drug addicts. But Augie has a plan. For the first time in his life, Augie Boretski is not going down without a fight.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too,
By TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: No Castles Here (Paperback)
Not like many others around him, Augie is pretty different, mostly because of the way he looks. He isn't too fond of school and his teachers, and now that his only friend has moved away, there is no one left to stand up for him.There are plenty of things Augie never thought he would do. Walking into a bookstore was one of them. But seeing a display with a donkey and a princess in the window, for some reason, captivated him. He plops himself down on a random couch that happens to have a book. Not just any book, though -- this book just so happens to have the same characters that Augie saw in the window. And just like how Augie was swept into the store, he sweeps himself out of the world he wanted to forget, and into a world full of fantasy and adventure. Yet, Augie doesn't know that by reading this book, his entire life just changed. From wanting to help his school to actually standing up for himself and others against those who were never nice, to having a sort of fairy godmother, Augie's life will just never be the same again... for the better. Alternating through Augie's life and the adventure novel he reads, NO CASTLES HERE is that one book which makes us feel glad that we picked it up. Augie isn't just any normal character; he is one that we can all look up to and learn that the only way we are able to accomplish something is if we are willing to take that first step. Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Courtesy of Teens Read Too,
By TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: No Castles Here (Hardcover)
Not like many others around him, Augie is pretty different, mostly because of the way he looks. He isn't too fond of school and his teachers, and now that his only friend has moved away, there is no one left to stand up for him.There are plenty of things Augie never thought he would do. Walking into a bookstore was one of them. But seeing a display with a donkey and a princess in the window, for some reason, captivated him. He plops himself down on a random couch that happens to have a book. Not just any book, though -- this book just so happens to have the same characters that Augie saw in the window. And just like how Augie was swept into the store, he sweeps himself out of the world he wanted to forget, and into a world full of fantasy and adventure. Yet, Augie doesn't know that by reading this book, his entire life just changed. From wanting to help his school to actually standing up for himself and others against those who were never nice, to having a sort of fairy godmother, Augie's life will just never be the same again... for the better. Alternating through Augie's life and the adventure novel he reads, NO CASTLES HERE is that one book which makes us feel glad that we picked it up. Augie isn't just any normal character; he is one that we can all look up to and learn that the only way we are able to accomplish something is if we are willing to take that first step. Reviewed by: Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
4.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews) 5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Solidly Crafted First Novel Packs Intergenerational Punch,
By D. Kuttler - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: No Castles Here (Hardcover)
Perfect for: Your little brother who wants to go out for the school musical. Your niece who thinks that all the good books are written only about boys. Your college student cousin who keeps secret copies of E.L. Konigsburg and Madeline L'engle next to her chemistry books.A.C.E. Bauer has crafted a novel that manages to be both entertaining and empowering, straddling the middle reader/young adult line with an ease that should evoke envious sighs of appreciation from others in her genre. This book reflects some of the magical realism that permeates much of today's good adult-shelf fiction (see J.S. Foer's "Everything Is Illuminated", for one of the finest examples) in a way that is intricate, complex, but still accessible to the young reader. Bauer weaves a family tree of fairy godmothers - some of folk history's greatest-loved outcasts - with the story of 11-year-old Augie Boretski, a scrappy scapegoat for his pre-gentrification Camden neighborhood's aspiring gang members and drug dealers. The ending comes together all too soon, with a mildly frustrating nod to Dickens's tradition of mysterious benefactors. However, a longer novel probably wouldn't sustain the attention of Bauer's Augie-aged audience, who deserve closure and a good-guys-win ending as much as Augie and his fairy godparents do. A satisfying read, which kept this college student awake until 3am, when she finished the very last page. 4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
beautifully written,
By E. Soh "Elizabeth" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: No Castles Here (Hardcover)
I loved it. Augie and the characters in the parallel fairy tale each have to face an assortment of injustices. Although the characters are presented with difficult situations, they are ultimately rewarded with the kinds of victories that are only available to those who stand up for what they believe.I have been enjoying this book long after I read it. The book spans multiple generations, and integrates a myriad of social issues and history into the story line in a natural and sensitive way. 4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
inspiring tale that touches everyone,
By Liora - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: No Castles Here (Hardcover)
This book is an incredible example of young adult/middle reader literature. Even though I'm well above ya/mr reading, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of this book. "No Castles Here" draws you in with a very compelling story line - it discusses important subjects, such as inner city life, in a way that allows the reader to truly relate and understand. In addition, and which I especially liked, the main plot line is interspersed with fairy tales. The tales are extremely well written, and even use a different "literary voice" than the other plot line, to make it seem as though you are reading a different book inside the main book."No Castles Here" is an excellent read. I would highly recommend it to anyone, but especially to families who can read it together. |
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