Fishy Friends, A Journey Through the Coral Kingdom by Michael Patrick ONeill ... Batfish Books

A fascinating and well humored story of life in the world's oceans, as told by the amazing characters that live there.

Photographer and writer Michael Patrick O'Neill invites you to join him and go where the fish go!

Endorsements for Fishy Friends, A Journey through the Coral Kingdom, photographed and written by Michael Patrick O'Neill

"Fishy Friends" is a charming story with an important message. Young readers will find this compelling book fun and memorable. Michael is to be commended for his passion.
—Susan McElhinney
Photo Editor, Ranger Rick

“A combination of beautiful photographs with friendly characters, this book draws you into the underwater world, enticing you to understand and care about its inhabitants and their importance.”
–Kirsten Sowry
Picture Researcher, BBC Wildlife Magazine

“Michael’s images in Fishy Friends have a unique blend of clarity, color and behavior, so important to catching the interest of children, the future stewards of our planet.”
–Bonnie Stutski
Picture Editor, Smithsonian Magazine

“Michael introduces us to a colorful sea of fascinating creatures, photographed brilliantly. Fishy Friends’ informative and entertaining text inspires one to protect our fragile ocean environment. An unforgettable underwater experience!”
–Carl R. Sams II and Jean Stoick
Authors and photographers of the best-selling children’s book Stranger in the Woods

“A fascinating book for the whole family. Michael has brought
his pictures to life with fun, educational text that is sure to 
engage young readers and inspire their interest in the marine
environment.”
–Larry Wood
Curator, Marinelife Center of Juno Beach, FL

Born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, Michael has been an avid conservationist since childhood. Fishing trips to the Amazon and abroad during his formative years whetted his appetite for exploration. At 18, he moved to the US to attend Lehigh University and to begin his career in advertising, consulting and financial services. In 1991, he relocated to South Florida. With the Gulf Stream at his doorstep, he traded his fishing rod for an underwater camera and began photographing the area's rich marine life - a pastime that soon became a passion and an occupation. For the past 12 years, he has traveled extensively as a photographer and writer, concentrating primarily on sea life and environmental issues. His work, widely published, aims to educate and to communicate to others the beauty, diversity and fragility of the oceans - and the urgent need to protect them.

Published credits include BBC Wildlife Magazine; Dive; Dive New Zealand; Nature's Best; Rodale's Scuba Diving; Reuters; Sport Diver; Skin Diver; Southern Diver; Freshwater & Marine Aquarium Magazine; Ocean Realm; Women in the Outdoors; Nice Matin; Palm Beach Post; Mergulho; Times of London; Videnskab; Key Porter/Firefly Books (Survivors in Armor: Turtles, Tortoises & Terrapins); Lorenz Books (Nature Watch: Sharks); Lucent Books; Lerner Books; Marshall Cavendish Publishers; National Audubon Society's Field Guide to North American Fishes; Newbridge Educational Publishing; World Wide Publications (Florida's Fabulous Fishes); Bright Star Publishing (Animals, Animals, Animals); Voyager Press (Manatees & Dugongs of the World); Gatlinburg Aquarium; Ocean Conservancy press kits & cd roms; Portal Communications posters and television (documentary on sea turtles). Furthermore, he has written more than 20 articles focusing on marine life and is the author of "Fishy Friends," a children's book about marine life to be published in 2003.

Michael achieved one of the highest awards in the field of nature photography by winning first place in the 2002 BG Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition (Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife). Also in 2002, he received a "Highly Honored" award in the Nature's Best Wildlife Photography Contest and was a finalist in the Kodak Oceanz Competition in New Zealand.

Michael is a member of AGPix Live and NANPA .