The water lit up. It danced, it glinted, it gleamed. There were flashes of light everywhere, as if the expanse in front of him wasn’t water, but a carpet of jewels. Darius looked questioningly at the torch in his hand. It was just a torch. He looked back at the glittering surface of the water. Then, for the first time, he glanced up.
The Bell family is in trouble. Every generation the family must bestow a gift on the residents of the city, in gratitude for the land on which they live. But there is no money for a gift, and if there is no gift, then the family will be forced to move. When Darius discovers a wonderful pool in a cavern beneath the estate, he thinks he has found the answer to all their problems. But using the pool for the gift proves to be more difficult than Darius imagined.
Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool is a beautiful story of friendship, family and justice, and a lovely demonstration of the way that determination and goodness of heart can help find a way through difficulty. Darius faces repeated obstacles but is determined to overcome them, which he does with a mixture of wisdom and the help of those around him.
Author Odo Hirsch is a master at creating whimsical tales which leave the reader (whatever age) thinking. Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool is a delight.
Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, by Odo Hirsch
Allen & Unwin, 2009
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