No Castles Here

"What I need, Augie thought, is a fairy godmother. She'd wave her magic wand, and poof, all my problems would disappear." Augie Boretski has been thinking about fairy godmothers a lot lately, ever since he accidentally stole a mysterious, possibly magical, book of fairy stories from a small Philadelphia bookshop. Even though Augie has never been a big reader, he finds himself strangely drawn to the stories of magic and transformations he discovers there. Augie also has been thinking a lot about problems, and he has plenty to think about. At the top of the list? Dwaine and his gang of bullies, who steal Augie's school lunch money, tease him in class and generally seize every opportunity to make his life miserable. Augie's hardworking, well-meaning single mom has tried to make Augie's life better by lining up a companion for him through the Big Brothers program. At first, 11-year-old Augie thinks he's too old for a Big Brother, even one like Walter, who has a great outlook on life and a really cool truck. But what will Dwaine and the other bullies say, or do, when they discover that a kid in their class has a Big Brother and that his Big Brother is gay? Finally, should Augie take a chance and join the chorus at school, or will that be just one more reason for the bullies to target him? Augie may wish that a fairy godmother like the ones in his book could appear and make all his problems disappear, but he lives in Camden, New Jersey, where magic of any kind is nonexistent and problems are a dime a dozen: "The armpit of the world," Augie calls Camden, "home to losers and drug dealers." However, when a real crisis threatens Augie's school and the health and future of his whole community, Augie learns that, with a little hard work and perseverance, a different sort of magic might just come about after all. On the surface of things, the premise of A.C.E. Bauer's debut novel is an odd one. The book consists of a series of fairy tales, which begins with the classic Cinderella tale "Donkey Skin" and travels through history. These are interspersed within Augie's own story, a gritty urban tale that touches on issues of tolerance, bullying, violence and self-acceptance. With all these elements, NO CASTLES HERE would be an ambitious project for any author. Remarkably, Bauer fulfills the task seemingly with ease, resulting in a story in which magic can seem real but in which the real magic occurs in the relationships between people, in the truly remarkable things that happen when a community bonds together. Augie is a realistic character who screws up, tells lies and turns his back on people who care for him, but nevertheless has a good heart, particularly once he learns to trust and care for the people who also value him. In stories, music and, especially, community, Augie discovers that magic might exist after all, even in humble old Camden, New Jersey. --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

I loved this book. A.C.E. Bauer did not waste a single word in writing this lovely book. Every sentence, thought, and description was perfectly expressed with just the right vocabulary. The juxtaposition of fairytale to life in an inner city and the struggles the characters mirrored in each other kept me interested from page one. The themes cross cultures, generations, race, gender, and anything else you could think of. The build-up to Augie's ultimate victory in the end kept me riveted to this page turner. I look forward to many more books from this promising first-time author.

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.

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.

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.