When he hatches from his egg, Sepio, a baby bobtail squid, is not able to glow. His dark shape is too obvious in the moonlit water and all kinds of predators lurk nearby. Ali, an intrepid Vibrio fischeri bacterium, is determined to reach safety too.
Can Ali and Sepio help each other?
The Squid, the Vibrio and the Moon is a beautifully illustrated storybook about the symbiotic relationship between the Hawaiian bobtail squid and the bioluminescent bacteria that help it glow in the moonlight.
Originally published in 2014, The Squid, the Vibrio and the Moon has been extensively re-written to delight and captivate primary-school aged readers.
Ailsa Wild creates stories for theatre and paper pages. She loves collaborating with acrobats, scientists and children and her favourite question is ... But why? Aviva Reed is a multi-disciplinary visual ecologist who creates immersive experiences to explore complex science.
Briony Barr is a conceptual artist, designer and interdisciplinary thinker, who is fascinated by the relationships between large and small.
Gregory Crocetti combines his microbial ecology experience with science education skills in an attempt to teach the world that microbes are marvellous.
Linda Blackall is an environmental microbiologist at The University of Melbourne. Her main research interests are using microbes to promote environmental sustainability, understanding symbiotic associations, and generally studying microbes wherever they exist – which is everywhere!
"The book is a beautiful, engaging, and effective work of science communication for a young audience."
– Associate Professor Jeff Shimeta, Microbiology Australia 40(1), February 2019
"All children who I have read this book to have enjoyed it for a myriad of reasons – some enjoy the facts section at the back, others enjoy the story, some enjoy the sketches of the different sea creatures and of course many enjoy the whole book!"
– Vanessa Rendall, Educate Empower blog, 18 January 2019
"This book had me captivated and brought home to me the wonder of symbiosis. It is a must for all libraries so as the children can understand how these incredible relationships have evolved."
– Merle Morcom, Good Reading Magazine, April 2019
"The informative illustrations in the science reference section are particularly good, with enough detail and explanation to articulate complex and sophisticated biological concepts to little people (and big people).
– Dr Sam Lloyd, Children's Books Daily, 7 May 2019