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I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World
Did you know that the rubber in your shoes came from a tree? Ever wondered where your breakfast cereal is grown? Have you remembered to thank a bee today for the food you ate for dinner last night?
Get ready to learn everything you never knew about plants and then some! This illustrated compendium celebrates the plants you didn’t even know you used, from your toothpaste to your car tires to the name of your great-great-aunt. This comprehensive overview also contains great plant projects you and your friends can try at home!
Get ready to learn everything you never knew about plants and then some! This illustrated compendium celebrates the plants you didn’t even know you used, from your toothpaste to your car tires to the name of your great-great-aunt. This comprehensive overview also contains great plant projects you and your friends can try at home!
128 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2020
4 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 8, 2025
I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World (2020) has Michael Holland in a comprehensive survey of kingdom plantae textually covering pretty much everything regarding the earth's flora (from simple algae to trees) and with Philip Giordano colourful collage-like illustrations mirroring and enhancing Hollands's extensive facts/concepts. But yes, if truth be told, I personally would definitely prefer a combination of both artwork and photographs, my all-encompassing aesthetic enjoyment of Giordano's expressive pictures and his delightful colour schemes for I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World notwithstanding (and not to mention that the ridiculously tiny font size encountered in I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World does tend to give me eyestrain, does make reading even with my strongest reading glasses a bit of a chore and could therefore also make using I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World in a classroom setting possibly challenging).
And furthermore, while I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World is presented by Holland in generally accessible and as such never too academic, never too intellectual language (and is thus also nicely suitable for readers and/or listeners from about the age of nine or so onwards), well, Michael Holland's tendency of information dropping as well as sometimes being perhaps even a bit too extensive regarding his featured botanical details, this does (well, in my opinion at least) make I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World a bit of a potential slog (and especially if reading, if trying to peruse I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World in one single sitting, so that yes, I in fact do recommend reading I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World section by section and also with sufficient reading breaks between the presented chapters).
Now the sections of I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World feature information on the structure as well as on the importance of plants, on plant evolution and their adaptations in and to a variety of environments, on how plants are used in technology, medicine, construction, education etc. (dental hygiene, disease-curing medications, clothing, paper, the homes we live in and so on and so on) and that everything on earth, including the air we breathe, that this all depends on a healthy relationship between people and plants (and with I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World also featuring enlightening sidebars as well as an extensive glossary, but that the absence of a bibliography and no suggestions for further reading is kind of majorly annoying and hugely frustrating, although I am a equally more than bit willing to consider that Holland is likely following his publisher here, since Flying Eye Books usually does not provide secondary sources). And by the way, if you do not believe in evolution, just skip that particular section, as there is indeed so so much about what Michael Holland writes in I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World that is not about evolution.
Finally, the DYI projects included by Holland in I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World look like fun, offer step-by-step instruction and as such encourage readers to become familiar with the concepts mentioned, but just to point pout that some of the projects may not always be successful, since for example putting potato peelings into soil will not always produce a potato plant and that playing conkers can if one is not careful result in potential injury. But yes, even though there are a few issues I have found with I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World (see above), my rating for I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World is still solidly three stars and is also a book to be recommended for budding botanists (both young and old).
And furthermore, while I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World is presented by Holland in generally accessible and as such never too academic, never too intellectual language (and is thus also nicely suitable for readers and/or listeners from about the age of nine or so onwards), well, Michael Holland's tendency of information dropping as well as sometimes being perhaps even a bit too extensive regarding his featured botanical details, this does (well, in my opinion at least) make I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World a bit of a potential slog (and especially if reading, if trying to peruse I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World in one single sitting, so that yes, I in fact do recommend reading I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World section by section and also with sufficient reading breaks between the presented chapters).
Now the sections of I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World feature information on the structure as well as on the importance of plants, on plant evolution and their adaptations in and to a variety of environments, on how plants are used in technology, medicine, construction, education etc. (dental hygiene, disease-curing medications, clothing, paper, the homes we live in and so on and so on) and that everything on earth, including the air we breathe, that this all depends on a healthy relationship between people and plants (and with I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World also featuring enlightening sidebars as well as an extensive glossary, but that the absence of a bibliography and no suggestions for further reading is kind of majorly annoying and hugely frustrating, although I am a equally more than bit willing to consider that Holland is likely following his publisher here, since Flying Eye Books usually does not provide secondary sources). And by the way, if you do not believe in evolution, just skip that particular section, as there is indeed so so much about what Michael Holland writes in I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World that is not about evolution.
Finally, the DYI projects included by Holland in I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World look like fun, offer step-by-step instruction and as such encourage readers to become familiar with the concepts mentioned, but just to point pout that some of the projects may not always be successful, since for example putting potato peelings into soil will not always produce a potato plant and that playing conkers can if one is not careful result in potential injury. But yes, even though there are a few issues I have found with I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World (see above), my rating for I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World is still solidly three stars and is also a book to be recommended for budding botanists (both young and old).
July 25, 2021
je recommande vraiment ce livre documentaire puisqu’il est complet, magnifiquement bien illustré et rempli d’informations toutes aussi pertinentes les unes que les autres. à se procurer si vous enseignez au troisième cycle du primaire ou au premier cycle du secondaire ou si vous avez des enfants dans votre entourage qui s’intéressent aux plantes 🌱☺️.
xx-dnf-skim-reference
July 30, 2022An important subject. STEM educators must remember that biology, botany, etc. are at least as important as physics and astronomy. I'm not sure of the execution & art, though. Kinda pretty, kinda cute, very colorful, reasonably well-organized... check it out for yourself.
Long, too. I skimmed. The text is too small, even for my brand-new glasses. As a child I may have loved it, but I'm not sure.
I will continue to look for more by Flying Eye Books. They're not Candlewick, but they seem pretty worthy of being mentioned in the same list.
Long, too. I skimmed. The text is too small, even for my brand-new glasses. As a child I may have loved it, but I'm not sure.
I will continue to look for more by Flying Eye Books. They're not Candlewick, but they seem pretty worthy of being mentioned in the same list.
December 19, 2021
The illustrations are just beautiful, although their stylized nature makes them more ambiance to the detailed text. It begins with basic information about plant parts, then different kinds of plants, and the different kinds of places where they live, but I was most impressed with all the ways that plants appear in our daily lives. It's all too easy to forget since they are processed into completely new things.
One of those books that has a little bit of a lot of things, with the benefit of gorgeous artwork.
One of those books that has a little bit of a lot of things, with the benefit of gorgeous artwork.
June 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Beautiful illustrations and a great deep dive into plants. Loved the simple experiments too! My kids and I really enjoyed it.
Beautiful illustrations and a great deep dive into plants. Loved the simple experiments too! My kids and I really enjoyed it.
March 28, 2024
This book is packed with information about plants!
April 29, 2021
Totally and utterly unique
March 12, 2020
“If humans suddenly weren’t here, plants would survive just fine… If plants suddenly disappeared, however, humans wouldn’t be able to survive…”
I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast is an attractive, cute, fact-filled nonfiction book that belongs in every elementary and middle school library. I’m so excited to add it to my collection! With DIY projects related to plants, gorgeous color illustrations, and adorable critters on every page, this book will be a hit with budding naturalists. The book begins with an overview of what plants are, how they reproduce, and their various parts. In part two, plants from various habitats are introduced and the evolution and adaptation of plants are explored. Part three is all about the many ways we rely on plants as humans from food to clothing to transportation to hobbies. Part four addresses some groundbreaking ways that plants are being used and the importance of protecting the natural habitat we rely on. Many of the facts relate to the timely topics like conservation and sustainability.
Includes a glossary and an index. The best part are the 12 fun experiments on eye-catching bright green paper throughout the book. My favorite involves lighting a light bulb with power from a potato!
I Ate Sunshine for Breakfast is an attractive, cute, fact-filled nonfiction book that belongs in every elementary and middle school library. I’m so excited to add it to my collection! With DIY projects related to plants, gorgeous color illustrations, and adorable critters on every page, this book will be a hit with budding naturalists. The book begins with an overview of what plants are, how they reproduce, and their various parts. In part two, plants from various habitats are introduced and the evolution and adaptation of plants are explored. Part three is all about the many ways we rely on plants as humans from food to clothing to transportation to hobbies. Part four addresses some groundbreaking ways that plants are being used and the importance of protecting the natural habitat we rely on. Many of the facts relate to the timely topics like conservation and sustainability.
Includes a glossary and an index. The best part are the 12 fun experiments on eye-catching bright green paper throughout the book. My favorite involves lighting a light bulb with power from a potato!
May 15, 2022
I ate sunshine for breakfast! We all did! What a funny thought...
In this non fiction celebration of plants from around the world, we can learn many surprising new facts.
For example, did you know that there are 428, 000 species of plants growing on our planet and that only 5% of these are actually edible?
The book takes us through all aspects of plant life cycles, their evolution and survival all over the world and how humans have made use of them.
If a child reading this learns nothing else, it's that plants are essential for human life. It even makes the shocking point that plants would be just fine without us. Humans without plants however, wouldn't last more than a few minutes!
Throughout the book, there are some very imaginative ideas for activities and experiments such as leaf printing, slime making, making a maze and growing a bottle garden.
This book is absolutely packed with the most attractive illustrations of nature that are utterly gorgeous!
Overall an entertaining learning experience that I haven't been able to put down these last few days!
In this non fiction celebration of plants from around the world, we can learn many surprising new facts.
For example, did you know that there are 428, 000 species of plants growing on our planet and that only 5% of these are actually edible?
The book takes us through all aspects of plant life cycles, their evolution and survival all over the world and how humans have made use of them.
If a child reading this learns nothing else, it's that plants are essential for human life. It even makes the shocking point that plants would be just fine without us. Humans without plants however, wouldn't last more than a few minutes!
Throughout the book, there are some very imaginative ideas for activities and experiments such as leaf printing, slime making, making a maze and growing a bottle garden.
This book is absolutely packed with the most attractive illustrations of nature that are utterly gorgeous!
Overall an entertaining learning experience that I haven't been able to put down these last few days!
September 24, 2022
First of all, this book is exceptionally gorgeous. I felt happy just by flipping the pages as the striking exploding colours filled my eyes.
Secondly, the book explains fascinating facts about plants. You might ask, why do plants matter? Well, every day and in every single way, we use plants. Even the ink on the pages is made from soybeans and linseed oil (OMG, how cool is that to know all this? 🥹)
STEM education is vital for kids. Reading this with Hassan Hussain is so much fun because the scientific processes, such as photosynthesis and pollination, are being explained in simpler words for the readers to grasp the concept. They are surprised at how huge plants play a part in every aspect of human life. There are plant extracts in toothpaste, clothes, and even musical instruments! 🥰
Apart from that, there are DIY experiments included for you to try with your kids. This is a great book, both for kids and adults. I simply love this book so much. Absolutely in love with all the effort into making learning about plants attractive and cool. It’s a 4-star book for me!
Secondly, the book explains fascinating facts about plants. You might ask, why do plants matter? Well, every day and in every single way, we use plants. Even the ink on the pages is made from soybeans and linseed oil (OMG, how cool is that to know all this? 🥹)
STEM education is vital for kids. Reading this with Hassan Hussain is so much fun because the scientific processes, such as photosynthesis and pollination, are being explained in simpler words for the readers to grasp the concept. They are surprised at how huge plants play a part in every aspect of human life. There are plant extracts in toothpaste, clothes, and even musical instruments! 🥰
Apart from that, there are DIY experiments included for you to try with your kids. This is a great book, both for kids and adults. I simply love this book so much. Absolutely in love with all the effort into making learning about plants attractive and cool. It’s a 4-star book for me!
December 4, 2020
In all seasons of the year, they provide vivid sensory experiences for all the planet's inhabitants. The survival of all species needing air is determined by their existence. There is hardly a facet of human lives untouched by them. It's astounding the links they provide in the chains of our everyday moments.
For those who think they know how valuable plants are to humans, prepare to be amazed. I Ate Sunshine For Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World (Flying Eye Books, March 18, 2020) written by Michael Holland FLS with illustrations by Philip Giordano is a joyous gift for readers' minds and eyes. It is a journey through an unimaginable world with words and visuals to savor for the rest of your lives.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
For those who think they know how valuable plants are to humans, prepare to be amazed. I Ate Sunshine For Breakfast: A Celebration of Plants Around the World (Flying Eye Books, March 18, 2020) written by Michael Holland FLS with illustrations by Philip Giordano is a joyous gift for readers' minds and eyes. It is a journey through an unimaginable world with words and visuals to savor for the rest of your lives.
My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...
April 13, 2023
I don’t know why I haven’t come across this book before. It’s not the type of book to get lost in a crowd, because it stands out so much. Also, a lot of people must know about it having been translated into twenty languages. Pretty good for a book I sadly haven’t seen in a book shop. I do hope the paperback grows into an even taller tree and wins more awards too.
Full Review Here https://justimagine.co.uk/review/i-at...
Full Review Here https://justimagine.co.uk/review/i-at...
June 28, 2021
Not only is this book gorgeous, but it's also packed with lots of fascinating information and fun hands-on activities!
The cover is beautifully debossed, and the endpages and illustrations throughout the book are truly stunning!
As a self-proclaimed plant person, I always love a great nonfiction book that brings the world of plants to life in such a vibrant and engaging manner.
The cover is beautifully debossed, and the endpages and illustrations throughout the book are truly stunning!
As a self-proclaimed plant person, I always love a great nonfiction book that brings the world of plants to life in such a vibrant and engaging manner.
November 22, 2021
This style of illustration -which is screaming Procreate- doesn't fit with this scientific book, too colorful in a distracting way, too overwhelming. The font was too small. Most of the information was good, but I had to google many words and plants'names to visualize it.
*Read on Epic
*Read on Epic
December 13, 2022
Fun & colorful book all about plants--why they're important, what we need them for from clothes & the environment to food & medicine & everything in between. The illustrations are glorious & there are interesting do-it-yourself projects from making electricity with potatoes to plant art. Very engaging!
February 9, 2022
What a beautiful book!! The illustrations are imaginatively styled and stunningly colored. The written material is very interesting and well presented. The whimsical creatures throughout make the “science” part of the book more fun and less dry. I heartily recommend this book
June 21, 2022
Põnev teadmisraamat taimedest kõikvõimalikest külgedest. Kuidas taimed tulevad inimesele appi, millised imepärased ja kummalised võimed neil on, samas on palju õpetusi katseteks ja meisterdamisteks, lõpus on ka sõnaseletused. Põnev raamat õpetamaks lastele meie loodust paremini hoidma.
Want to read
February 1, 2020Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
March 22, 2020
Fun, vibrant, informative, and educational! This is a perfect resource for juveniles looking for learn more about plants.
June 23, 2020
This book was great! Very good info in a format that kids could still understand, beautiful illustrations and some great DIY projects to help make understanding plants more hands on and helpful!
January 22, 2021
Fascinating and well laid out information, including experiments (some are not doable where I live).
January 2, 2022
Beautiful illustrations, clear and informative text, which accurately explains the science without being dull. A modern classic
June 25, 2022
Great concept and cover. I think it would make a fun, informative, eye catching, enthralling, terrific text book for elementary education
December 16, 2024
Las infancias que amen las plantas DEBEN tener este libro, es una joya
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews