Anyone who has ever wondered about the history of Fullerton can ask a third grader enrolled at any Fullerton elementary school. They can tell you all about the day it rained Baby Ruths, about the day a cow got stuck in the high school clock tower, and all about Mr. Atherton and his famous ostrich farm.

“Ostrich Eggs for Breakfast”, a children’s history of Fullerton from the days of the Spanish ranchos through the post-World War II boom, was written by children’s librarian Dora May Sim, and illustrated by her colleague Wanda Collins. The first edition was published in 1972 and the original printing of 2,000 copies was funded by the Friends of the Library. Dedicated to “all the boys and girls in Fullerton, now and in the years to come”, the book was distributed to all the city’s elementary schools.

An updated version of the, now classic, book was printed in 1986 and included stories about the Olympic torch run through downtown, and the introduction of four-legged police officers Nick, Caro, and Barney. A now-retired Dora May Sim could often be found carrying around an old ostrich egg, still teaching Fullerton history to local children.

A Library Centennial Edition of the book was printed in 2006 and is still available for purchase. Shortly after, an online version of the popular book hatched in 2007, thanks to a grant from the Fullerton Sunrise Rotary Club. This searchable version is available today on the library’s website for a whole new generation of Fullerton children.

Read the "Ostrich Eggs for Breakfast" eBook in OverDrive.