Though Nurk is a small and somewhat timid soul, he longs to be like his fabulous grandmother Surka, the warrior shrew who had been a fighter, a dishwasher, and a pirate queen. When an odd message seems to call for action, Nurk overcomes his timid nature and sets off in the wonderful Snailboat on a wild and weird adventure that will eventually lead him to the lair of the fearsome Grizzlemole.