Sandy
Sandy is a young Scottish Highland boy who lives in the town of Shoogulaboot. He is around 7 to 8 years old and lives with his mother, father, granny, and wolfdog, Willow.
Sandy is a fun-loving, enthusiastic, and adventurous child. He is full of curiosity and has a thirst for exploration and knowledge. He can be quirky, cheeky, and rebellious at times. Some may even refer to him as a “wee toe-rag,” but in the end, his heart is always in the right place.
The most priceless thing Sandy possesses is his empathy. No matter what challenges or obstacles he and his trusty wolfdog, Willow, face, he always acts with compassion and kindness first. Love and friendship always guide his choices and actions.
Sandy is the main protagonist and heroic figure of the Shoogulaboot series.
He is inspired by various influences, including Oor Wullie, Dennis the Menace, Tintin, and Peter Pan.
Willow
Willow is a trusty wolfdog and Sandy’s family pet. She is a lovable, feisty, thrill-seeking animal who is always by the side of her best friend, Sandy.
She goes wherever he goes. Through thick and thin, she is fiercely loyal to Sandy and will do anything in her power to protect him and those she loves.
Willow is just as adventurous and curious as Sandy, but she is always a little apprehensive when it comes to meeting new animals. She has an instinct for creatures that Sandy lacks and uses it to ensure that the characters they meet along the way are safe and trustworthy.
Despite her slight fear of the unknown, Willow is always incredibly enthusiastic about meeting new people, creatures, and potential new friends.
Willow acts as Sandy’s trusty sidekick throughout the Shoogulaboot series. She is the ‘Snowy’ to Sandy’s ‘Tintin’, the ‘Gnasher’ to Sandy’s ‘Dennis’, and the ‘Scooby-Doo’ to Sandy’s ‘Shaggy’.
Kelsey
Kelsey is a young kelpie who lives in the mysterious waters of Shoogulaboot. He is a magical, shape-shifting creature that takes the form of a horse.
When he is in the water, his legs and tail transform, revealing a mythical, water-dwelling beast. He can also transform himself to roughly resemble anyone he meets.
While kelpies are infamously known to be malevolent and dangerous creatures, Kelsey is an exception to the rule. He is extremely friendly, charming, and just as curious about people and other animals as Sandy and Willow are about him.
His story arc ultimately focuses on discrimination, as Kelsey seeks acceptance from a group of people who are frightened of his kind. He has a big heart and wants to find a way to foster kinship between two groups whose relationship is founded on fear.
Kelsey the Kelpie is the main focus of the first book in the series.
Gallus
Gallus the Haggis is a very wacky, confident, cocky, and ‘gallus’ little critter. He is the descendant of two different breeds of haggis, small rodent-like creatures that are native to Scotland. He has the magical ability to stretch his legs to extraordinary lengths whenever he needs to.
He has always been able to outsmart any human who tries to catch him, but in the book ‘The Horrid Haggis Hunt’, he comes face to face with a group who have joined forces in an effort to finally catch him.
Gallus has to use all his speed, agility, and cunning to stay out of harm’s way and outwit the haggis hunters.
Even though he is quite confident, he is also anxious and hyperactive. Throughout his ongoing vendetta with the hunters, he can go from excitement to terror in a matter of moments.
Gallus, although somewhat obnoxious and silly, is a kind and benevolent character who secretly wishes for peace between himself and the people of Shoogulaboot.
Murdo MacGreed
Murdo MacGreed is the local taxman and laird of the town of Shoogulaboot. He is a grumpy, miserable, miserly old man who doesn’t get on well with the townsfolk, and they don’t view him very favourably either.
Murdo is a keen hunter, always looking to capture mythical creatures for gain, greed, or glory. For this reason, he is often found on the opposing side of Sandy and Willow’s adventures. While they want to save creatures and characters for their own sake, Murdo is always trying to thwart their kind and compassionate efforts.
Murdo is the main antagonist for Sandy, Willow, and many of the good characters within Shoogulaboot. He never poses a serious threat to Sandy and Willow, but he regularly presents a danger to other characters throughout the series.
Even though he is technically the villain of the book series, there is always a sense that one day, in the distant future, he may choose to do the right thing.
Murdo is inspired by a variety of figures and characters, including Lex Luthor, Dr. X, Scrooge, Captain Hook, Yosemite Sam, and the Scottish comic actor James Finlayson.
Bo
Bo (short for Bonnie) might seem like a beautiful, elegant, lovely lady, but anyone who makes that assumption would be dangerously mistaken. She is, in fact, a ‘She-bite’, a type of vampire fairy that enjoys luring men into dancing with her in the forest, only to make a meal of them afterwards.
Bo is depicted as quite sweet, but she has a nasty and mean-spirited side. Her attempts to eat people are portrayed as less horrific and more humorous, childlike, and mischievous.
Her demeanour is that of a spoiled girl who doesn’t get her way at a birthday party. However, she presents herself to men as a benevolent and graceful woman, someone for whom “butter wouldn’t melt”.
Currently, she features in only one story, Smitten & Bitten, as the main antagonist, but there is certainly scope for her to make cameo appearances in other stories.
Bo is intended to be an amusing and cheeky character rather than a genuinely terrifying villain.
Her influences include Mina Harker from Dracula, Poison Ivy, Veruca Salt, and Miss Hannigan.
Quarrel & Bargy
Quarrel & Bargy are the fiercely loyal, but not-so-bright, henchmen of Murdo MacGreed. He is their commander and leader, which means they do everything he says. This often sees them dragged into Murdo’s fiendish schemes and plots.
The duo provide much of the comic relief in the Shoogulaboot series. They are always getting things muddled up and often find themselves involved in slapstick accidents.
Quarrel, the skinny, ginger-haired oaf of the pair, is highly unintelligent and regularly depends on the far more overconfident and egotistical Bargy. Bargy, the stouter, dark-haired, bearded member of the duo, acts as though he is the brains of the operation.
Although Bargy considers himself far more intelligent than Quarrel, the truth is that he is just as silly and unintelligent as his companion.
This pair of bumbling fools is not only inspired by, but also serves as a loving tribute to, the famous comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.
This inspiration extends beyond their personalities and behaviour, as their names are deliberately similar to those of their comedic idols.
Finlay
Finlay is the local carpenter in Shoogulaboot. He loves to build things and enjoys helping Sandy and Willow with the quests and challenges they face.
He is a beloved member of the Shoogulaboot community and a good friend of the series’ main heroes.
Sandy definitely looks up to Finlay, who is a positive adult role model. This is not only because he takes safety and looking after himself and those around him seriously, but also because he encourages Sandy’s enthusiasm for exploration, knowledge, and adventure.
Finlay is always happy to teach Sandy about the myths and legends he discovers. He tends to be Sandy’s voice of reason, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Sandy always listens.
Finlay is a friendly and helpful individual who may not always be brave or courageous, but he will always strive to protect the people he cares about and do the right thing, even if that means putting his own fears and concerns aside.
Malky
Malky is a big, lovable giant mountain monster who lives on top of Ben Malky, the summit near the town of Shoogulaboot.
Malky is a legend in Shoogulaboot, known only through whispers and historical accounts of a large, grey, hairy man who haunts the mountains.
In reality, he is just a big galoot who is all too happy to experience something he has never really had: company.
Although Malky is friendly and kind, he has experienced loneliness for generations, having been seen as someone to be feared. So, when Malky meets Sandy and Willow, he is more than delighted to have new friends and finally gain what he has always wanted: acceptance.
Malky, although friendly and silly, is very strong. He can lift huge weights and throw them incredible distances, which could come in handy in multiple storylines.
Malky is inspired by the real legend of Am Fear Liath Mòr, meaning “Big Grey Man”, a cryptid said to live on the summit of Ben Macdui.
Toatie
Toatie is a little magical sprite from the fairy realm of Shoogulaboot. She is feisty, nosy, sneaky, cheeky, crafty, and… toatie! (A Scots word meaning “tiny” or “small”.)
Toatie acts as an adversary to Sandy and Willow, but never as an enemy. She is neither malevolent nor benevolent. In short, Toatie is ultimately a good character, just a really annoying one.
Toatie loves nothing more than pestering and making fun of Sandy and the rest of the humans. She enjoys fanning the flames of rivalry between the fairy clan and the people of Shoogulaboot.
In the story Fairy Highland Games, she wants her fairy clan to compete against Sandy, Willow, and the rest of the Shoogulaboot townsfolk. She never has evil intentions; she simply wants to beat them at something for the fun of it.
Toatie has the potential to appear from time to time in various stories, whether as a nosy onlooker or even as a last resort when Sandy and Willow need help during their adventures.
Her influences include Vanellope von Schweetz, Tinker Bell, Merida, Angelica Pickles, and Lucy van Pelt.
Cushy
Cushy is a giant, green puppy who is adorable, cute, and lovable. The problem is that he is actually a Cù-Sìth (Gaelic for “Fairy Dog”), a ferocious species of fairy animal the size of a bull that roams the moors and woodlands of Scotland.
Cushy is a very infantile and innocent character who is unlikely to have any dialogue in his story, reinforcing the idea that he is little more than a baby puppy.
He is very playful and enthusiastic when he meets Sandy and Willow and simply wants to be their friend and have fun with them.
Due to Cushy’s infancy and naivety, he is completely unaware of the fact that his huge, fierce, and angry mother is searching for him and poses a threat to his new friends.
Whilst Cushy’s main influence is the real legend of the Cù-Sìth, his characterisation and story arc are also inspired by classic cartoons featuring animal characters, such as Tom and Jerry, Spike and Tyke, Looney Tunes, and Muppet Babies.
Funnyhorn
Funnyhorn is a magical unicorn who lives in the hills surrounding Shoogulaboot. She is a curious and adorable little creature who meets Sandy and Willow unexpectedly in a magical meadow.
Having never seen a unicorn before, Sandy and Willow are initially baffled by Funnyhorn’s appearance and begin comparing her to other horned animals in an attempt to determine what kind of creature she actually is.
Funnyhorn has a cartoonishly long unicorn horn that possesses special powers, although she is completely unaware of them. Not only does she have the gift of healing, but she can also grant people good luck with a single touch of her horn.
Eventually, news of her existence and arrival in Shoogulaboot falls on selfish ears, and plans are made to imprison her so that her captors can keep her good luck for themselves. This storyline highlights the issue of treating animals as commodities rather than as living creatures deserving of care and respect.
Funnyhorn is a character whose story is designed to inspire sympathy, compassion, and empathy in the reader. Her story is strongly influenced by the principles of the animal rights movement.
Auld Angus
Auld Angus is the clan chief of the MacCarrot Clan and the senior elder of Shoogulaboot. He is a zany, silly, eccentric, and larger-than-life figure within the town.
In the books, Auld Angus represents the historical and traditional ways of Highland life in Scotland. He provides a wealth of knowledge and insight into the myths and legends of Shoogulaboot.
Throughout the Shoogulaboot series, Auld Angus regularly takes it upon himself to describe and explain the superstitions, folklore, and history surrounding the mythical creatures that live in the land around his beloved town.
He likes to present himself as heroic and fearless, but the reality is that he is often terrified and quite cowardly. With the help of Sandy and Willow, he usually comes to realise that the creatures they encounter are friendly and have little reason to be feared.
Auld Angus is a flawed but friendly character who is always looking out for his fellow townsfolk. He is clownish yet kind and serves as a source of comic relief throughout the series.
Bessie
Bessie is a lovable and benevolent loch monster who lives in Loch Bess in Shoogulaboot. She is an ancient, magical, water-dwelling creature with the power to control the weather. Whether it rains or shines is influenced by Bessie’s emotions. However surprising it may seem, it only rains when she is happy.
Bessie is a very placid and gentle giant who poses no danger to Sandy, Willow, or anyone else in Shoogulaboot. She enjoys the company of Sandy and Willow when they visit her and lend her a helping hand.
In her story, Bessie is a pleasant but ultimately forlorn creature who is in need of companionship and cheering up.
The story of Bessie is intended to raise awareness of depression and loneliness in a way that is accessible to readers of all ages. Her story teaches lessons of empathy, compassion, kindness, and reaching out to those in need.
Bessie is inspired by Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. By the end of her book, it is heavily implied that Bessie is related to Nessie, though she is never named outright.
