Hanging Out With Bargibanti is a whimsical yarn about a minute sea citizen, a pygmy seahorse about the size of a grain of rice called Hippocampus bargibanti. I first met Bargibanti at 18 metres on a remote reef drop-off in Raja Ampat (Indonesia). Around Bargibanti was a diverse array of marine creatures going about their daily business. One year later I went back to visit and there was Bargibanti still attached to the same sea fan. 

It gave me an idea about a children’s book to celebrate the rich diversity of the region’s marine life. I should apologise for my anthropomorphising but I needed an excuse to hopefully engage young imaginations. Apologies also to Lewis Carroll. 

Whilst all the individuals depicted play themselves, I have stretched Bargi’s friendships about 1,000 kilometres across the coral triangle region. Many characters however lived with 20 metres of Bargi’s sea fan. 

Pam and Wayne’s books have been downloaded in 37 countries.