Colin Gilbert
Mr.Bograt
A children’s storybook by Colin Gilbert
Bodges Adventures with the Bograts
Bodge isn’t your average rat. He’s clever, determined - and desperate to escape the cold, clinical lab where he’s been kept for experiments. When freedom finally comes, he discovers an underground world of eccentric, half-wild creatures known as the Bograts... and begins an adventure that’s equal parts daring, funny, and full of heart.
BODGES ADVENTURES WITH THE BOGRATS
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In a hidden laboratory, Bodge dreams of the outside world—a world he's only glimpsed through glass. When a twist of fate offers him escape, he finds himself alone in an unfamiliar countryside, dodging danger at every turn.
But he’s not alone for long.
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Bodge stumbles upon a secret tribe of wild-living rats known as the Bograts - odd, resourceful, and completely free. As Bodge adapts to life beyond the lab, he must confront new challenges, strange rituals, and questions about trust, loyalty, and leadership.
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Written with humour, rhythm and a strong narrative voice, Bodge’s Adventures with the Bograts is perfect for older children, young teens, and even adults who enjoy quirky animal adventures with an emotional core.
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“Bodge came to me as a kind of ‘what if?’—what if a lab rat escaped and tried to make sense of the world without ever really belonging to it? He’s tough but thoughtful. The Bograts themselves are partly inspired by a lifetime of musicians, misfits, and artists I’ve known.”
—Colin Gilbert
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This book (Bodges Adventures with the Bograts) draws inspiration from an idea of Paul Larman's, who served as the lead vocalist and bassist of BOGRAT (the Rock 'n' Roll Band). As a fellow band member on drums, I had the privilege of observing his exceptional talent and unwavering dedication to his craft. It was with great pride that I recount his story and the profound influence he had on our music, as featured in the book I wrote: 'My Mate the Rock Star'.
Bograt was formed in the early 1970's and disbanded a few years later. Paul went on to play with Cadillac Rock 'n' Roll band and I join the band some years later.
Paul was fascinated by the band name 'Bograt', and thought it should live on in some form, and that's where I came in. Paul put it to me to write a book about the Bograts and I ran with it. In fact it took over my life for a while. One, or was it two years later, the first book was done. I had written it, set out the book, designed the cover and eventually put it on Amazon (May 2024).
Origins
