FAQ

What is Dervel exactly?

He’s a rat – just with floppy ears.

No, really – he looks like a cross between Snoopy and Grommit…

Please leave.

What varieties are the Rodent Rebels?

Snitch is a black self. She appears to be dark grey because if I coloured her pure black, her features would not show up.

Smurt is a mink hooded.

Dervel is a dumbo champagne self.

Who is your favourite character?

This is a hard one to answer, as I really adore each of the characters.

But it’s Dervel.

What are the main differences between the book and the comic strip?

There are quite a few differences altogether, but I’ll start with the main ones.

In the book, the Rodent Rebels live in a parallel world, the Vermin Realm, where they live self-sufficient lives.  In the comic strip, the rats are ordinary pet rats.

In the book, the Rodent Rebels are Snitch’s army.  In the comic strip it is simply Smurt, Snitch and Dervel’s collective nickname.

In the book, Snitch is Dervel’s boss.  In the comic strip, she just acts like she’s his boss.

In the book, Snitch is the Vermin Realm’s public enemy number one.  In the comic strip she’s just a bad little rat.

In the book, the rats go to live with a little girl once they visit the Human Realm.  In the comic strip they live with Gabby and Si (aka ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’) who are their owners.

The book is primarily set in London; the comic strip is set in Plymouth.

Are there any other characters that appear in the book?

There are many characters who appear in the Rodent Rebels series who do not appear in the comic strip.

Queen Bronte: The ruler of Rat Central and the Vermin Realm, and Smurt’s mother.

Officer Fluffybum: A bad-tempered squirrel guard with a silly name and a grudge against Snitch.

Brown Pigeon: A not-very smart pigeon from the Human Realm who meets the rats in London.

Timothy: Snitch’s number-one henchman, a seagull.

Squirty McCullup: Snitch’s old friend and mentor from the Vermin Realm.

Snaggle: Dervel’s brother.

Are there any characters who appear in the comic strip and not the book?

Most of the characters in the comic strip do not appear in the book, including Mum and Dad, Sammy and Dermot.