The Bell family's ancestors were showered with honors, gifts and grants of land. In exchange, they have bestowed a Gift, once every 25 years, on the town. The Gifts have ranged from a statue to a bell tower with stained-glass windows, but now it's Darius's father's turn - and there is no money for an impressive gift. It looks as though a wheelbarrow full of vegetables is the best they can do. Darius is determined to preserve the family honor, and when an earthquake reveals something glorious, he thinks he's found the answer...

Reviews

Hirsch's winning form continues with his latest novel, Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, a captivating story with a message of optimism and hope. The wonderful thing about Hirsch is his grasp of characterisation. His stories are always populated by the most marvellously eccentric characters-from the protagonists, all the way down to people who simply appear in a vignette. In fact, his command of theme and character are so masterful that he doesn't need to prop up the story with convoluted plot lines. His tales come as a welcome relief from the adrenaline-bloated missives we are so often served. Darius is the youngest of generations of Arbuthnot-Huntingdon-Castleton- Bells, whose impoverished family manages to get by on its inherited estate, with a barter system involving the descendants of their former retainers. The family is facing ruin, however, unless it manages to come up with its once-in-a-generation gift to the rapacious and vindictive local authorities. Darius' discovery of riches under the ancestral wood appears to be the perfect solution. Hirsch has written a delightful story, with just the right mix of humour, gentleness and philosophical musings. It could be enjoyed by a good reader of eight-plus, as well as becoming a read-aloud favourite of their lucky parent or teacher. Toni Whitmont is a bookseller and editor of Booktopia Buzz