Snails of the Unexpected

Fergus and Shelby are the unlikely heroes of this original comedy story for children. It’s easy to think that snails’ lives are dull and uneventful (exploring the garden, munching lettuce leaves, perhaps even making the occasional slime trail) but Fergus and Shelby’s story is far from boring.

The snail friends are quite satisfied with their lives – happily munching through human Angela Miller’s fruit and vegetables – until they learn that their uncomplicated garden paradise is at risk of destruction due to the ambitions of neighbouring slugs. In fact, the threat from their shell-less cousins is far greater than they first realise, and Fergus and Shelby somehow find themselves charged with saving the world from a complete slug takeover!

Fergus is prone to panic and fears that they – and Angela Miller and her garden – are doomed, but he feels somewhat more optimistic when Shelby nonchalantly reminds him that they both have super, mighty-morphing powers since a puddle they were in was struck by lightning!

Shelby and Fergus have the ability to transform into absolutely anything, from a packet of crisps to the British Prime Minister…which is handy, because that is exactly who they are going to have to impersonate if they are to overcome their evil slug overlords, who were also granted transformative powers in the storm.

The story is seriously silly. The snails (and slugs) can transform into literally anything, yet their modest experience of the world means that they invariably choose humdrum things like confectionery, pets and plants as their disguises. This is a novel concept that would work brilliantly as a series of comic strips. There are several laugh-out-loud moments, for example, when Fergus turns to talk with Shelby, only to discover that he is now addressing an inanimate object.

Though the moments of comedy come along with ample frequency, and the levels of silliness are truly impressive, the story lacks heart at times and further character development would make the story more engaging.