Here’s a summary of some of Michael’s media coverage:
including magazines & newspapers, radio & podcasts, online articles & blogs
Educate. Empower Blog, 24th August 2020
I was thrilled to stumble across this blog from Australia reviewing my 1st book.
“Every single day, and in every single way, we use plants. From the food we eat and the cars we drive to the medicines we take and the clothes we wear, we would not be able to live without plants.
This book is informative yet encourages readers to get outside and see the plants beyond the pages. It helps children to realise there is so much more to plants than what they realise and that without them – we would not exist!”
‘Making the most of nature’
A short article about my book and I in the August edition of one of my local independent newspapers - The Waltham Forest Echo.
This is the link to the article which starts with these amazing facts:
Did you know there are more living things in a teaspoon of soil than there are people on planet Earth? Or that a giant bamboo can grow one metre in a day, making it the fastest growing plant in the world? And did you know that only about 5% of plants in the world are edible, which means that 95% of them are poisonous?
The Prisma Multicultural Newspaper wrote a lovely review in late July 2020:
“I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast” (7-14 year-olds) justifies its glorious title by bringing botany alive. Informative text and graphic illustrations work together to celebrate the power and importance of plants. The book is divided into four thematic parts but readers can open it at any page and learn something new.”
Summer book review by The Thirsty Gardeners, August 2020
It was lovely to be included in this great review:
“It may be aimed at children, but we reckon there are very few parents who won’t learn a wheelbarrow full of facts about the science behind plants by reading this book. Author Michael Holland writes in a succinct, un-patronising way that makes learning addictive, while Philip Geordano’s lavish illustrations turn every page into a colourful adventure.”
Here I talk about my influences, career, passions and, of course my book I Ate Sunshine For Breakfast with Ben Moorhouse, owner of Our Bookshop in Tring, Hertfordshire as part of the Tring Book Festival.
Here’s the link to the interview on their YouTube channel (there are loads of other author chats on this channel)
For July’s full moon (the Wort Moon), I was asked to contribute to the third Lunasea podcast - with storytellers Xanthe Gresham Knight, Fleur Shorthouse and Kate Corkery where we discussed the Full Summer Moon and the Oak Tree via faith healing, herbs, the Chelsea Physic Garden and Irish mythology. Here’s the link to the (26 minute long) Soundcloud episode.
On May 19th, I chatted to Sarah Wilson for Episode 61 of her fantastic ‘Roots and All’ podcast - about my upbringing and influences, career, book, hobbies and shed!
You can listen to it here.
The Guardian Newspaper on May 5th featured a great review of 'I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast' by Imogen Carter
“… a compendium of plants so full of dazzling, delicious pictures that it’s like opening up a world-class garden in your hands…Many books have celebrated plants, but this one feels special.”
On April 22nd (Earth Day), Good Housekeeping Magazine featured some of my tips to create a joyful garden to boost wellbeing
Amongst other things, I say: "Fresh air and exercise are certainly beneficial, and the rich myriad of gardening activities have been found to boost our sleep, upper body strength, motor skills, tolerance, stamina, patience and concentration, while lowering our stress levels.
Then there's the joyful satisfaction of growing your own plants, whether these are purely to look at and to smell, or whether you are reducing air miles and eating some of it,"
I contributed to Sudocrem’s Back to the Garden campaign with some top tips on creating your very own Shelf Life display of plants.
Back to the Garden was about getting families planting and growing wherever they may be, by sharing gardening ideas from expert gardeners.
Here are a few 'Fun & Creative Activities for Kids' feautured article in Liz Earle’s Wellbeing Magazine including:
A healthy herb vinegar
Create your very own Shelf Life collection
Make a mini natural collage
Make some newspaper pots
Make some cornflour slime, (or Oobleck)
‘I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast’ was appointed School Reading List’s Non-fiction book of the month: - April 2nd 2020
“A breathtaking illustrated book for children aged 7-12 that looks at how plants affect our lives - from providing raw materials for food, medicine, sport and music; to ensuring the health of the planet by releasing oxygen, absorbing chemicals and safeguarding the water-cycle. Packed with information, I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast will keep KS2 children thoroughly fascinated for weeks.”
‘Making Plants Fun’: Book Review and Q&A - April 1st 2020
Here’s one of the first online reviews of I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast from Annabookbel.net who also sent me a list of questions about my life, the book-writing process and my favourite plant. Here’s a brief snippet from Annabel’s article:
“I don’t feature many new children’s books on this blog, but I couldn’t say no when offered this one which is published today by Flying Eye Books. I mean, just look at that lovely cover. And then I opened the book up, and saw these endpapers (the back ones are different and equally glorious).”
Back in March 2020, The English Garden Magazine featured ‘Five simple nature activities for kids’
“If you have children, nieces, nephews or grandchildren, you may have recently become a homeschool tutor overnight! Whether this is the case or not, ecologist Michael Holland shares five easy and creative nature activities for you to try together at home to learn a little more about, and to celebrate, the natural world”.
In it, I described how to make:
A nature scrapbook
A wild weed bottle
A mini natural collage
“How many plants have I used today?”
Sage leaf printed bookmark