Serge, The Snalil Without a Shell

Serge, The Snail Without a Shell -  Words by Harriet Alida Lye and Rosa Rankin-Gee, Art by Andrea Blinick

The whimsical debut picture book by two celebrated novelists about a slug, desperate to fit in at all costs, and the adventure he embarks upon to learn that maybe being yourself is best of all!

Serge was a snail without a shell.
His mum and his dad were shell-less as well.
“You’re no more than a SLUG!” the snails at school taunted.
I wish I had a shell. It was all that Serge wanted.

Serge is not like the snails at school. They call him a horrible name—slug—and even though that’s entirely what he is, he wishes for a shell of his own.

Feeling like an outcast, Serge sets off on a solo adventure in search of the elusive shell that will make a perfect home—and make him just like everybody else. After some much-needed advice from his friend Fish, he finds himself at the ocean, where many options await: “Big shells and teeny shells/ All the in-betweeny shells/ Pyramid and swirly shells/Altogether curly shells!”

But can Serge find the perfect shell, or is he destined to be different forever?

A charming, lyrical story with bouncy text, whimsically illustrated by artist Andrea Blinick, Serge the Snail Without A Shell puts a modern twist on a tale as old as time: trying to fit in at all costs, before realizing that maybe being yourself is best of all.

About the Authors

HARRIET ALIDA LYE is the author of three books for grown-ups but this is her first for kids, and she's excited to be able to read her work to her children, Arlo and Lucy. Her favourite food is apples–she has only eaten a snail one time, and never, ever a slug. She has lived in Paris (where she met Rosa), Halifax, Amsterdam, and New York, and she now lives in Toronto, Canada.

ROSA RANKIN-GEE has also written two books for adults - The Last Kings of Sark and Dreamland - but this is her first book for kids.  Her partner, Leah, is responsible for all th wonderful animals in their life: Tavvi and Fritz (poodles), Half Court, April, Woo, and Eubsteub (horses), and fifty multicoloured chickens.

About the Illustrator

ANDREA BLINICK is an artist and art educator with a passion for children's literature. Her first picture book, Outside, You Notice (2021), earned a starred review from Kirkus Reviews and the 2021 Northern Lights Book Award. Andrea's next picture book, Sun In My Tummy (2022), received a starred review from Quill & Quire and School Library Journal. She lives in Toronto with her husband and two silly daughters. She enjoys music, writing, comedy, travel, and making an atrocious mess on her art table!

Author: Harriet Alida Lye and Rosa Rankin-Gee
Publisher:  Nimbus Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023
ISBN: 9781774711507
Paperback:  34 pages
Dimensions:  9" x 10"