Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool

Darius is the youngest member of the Bell Family, a once-wealthy clan that is now poor in everything but pride. Still, their grand house and large estate might be a bit run down, but theyre homey and Darius loves them, from the sofa with the broken spring to the silent clock tower to the hidden garden house where he and his friends play. The problem is, he might be about to lose it all: the house, the land, their prideeverything. Unless the impoverished Bells can produce a Gift on time, ownership of Bell Estate will revert to the town. But how, when they dont even have enough money to repair their own broken windows, can they come up with a Gift grand enough to be worthy of the Bell name?

Then, an earthquake reveals a hidden cave encrusted with glittering crystals and Darius thinks that he has found the answer. He sets out to provide the town with a Gift the likes of which they have never seen. What actually happens, however, is completely unexpected and completely satisfying.

Part coming-of-age story, part adventure novel, Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool doesnt break new literary ground, but nevertheless holds fast to the best traditions of middle-grade fiction. The parents are benign, but somewhat useless so it is up to the children to save the day. It suggests that there are treasures hidden everywhere, if only we knew where to lookbut similarly suggests that sometimes, the most precious treasures are not those that glitter, but those that shine from the heart.