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Early One Morning
Join a little boy searching the farm for his breakfast one fine morning.
Early one morning, a little boy sets out to find something for his breakfast. He searches the farm for it. Could it be by the gate? In the truck? In the haystack? Readers will see barnyard animals and guess what it is the little boy is searching for until he finally finds it and settles in for a delicious breakfast with his grandmother.
Early one morning, a little boy sets out to find something for his breakfast. He searches the farm for it. Could it be by the gate? In the truck? In the haystack? Readers will see barnyard animals and guess what it is the little boy is searching for until he finally finds it and settles in for a delicious breakfast with his grandmother.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1935
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Mem Fox
102 books427 followersMerrion Frances Fox is an Australian writer of children's books and an educationalist specialising in literacy. Fox has been semi-retired since 1996, but she still gives seminars and lives in Adelaide, South Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
December 9, 2021
A light-headed look at a little boy looking for breakfast. Nice book for small children who are curious about where their food comes from. I believe books like this are important in helping children appreciate everything animals provide for us; so many fail to see this connection. The illustrations are very nice.
June 1, 2022
A cute, albeit repetitive book about a boy looking for some yummy breakfast. Haha, I knew right from the first thing he encountered and what he said what he was looking for. We follow him around the farm as he tries to find that item. Again, funny and interesting to see what he sees around him, but also a tad boring. I would have rather have something surprising happen midway. Or that he ALMOST had it.
The art was adorable though!
Read this one in Dutch! Too tired/sick to add it to GR though.
The art was adorable though!
Read this one in Dutch! Too tired/sick to add it to GR though.
May 31, 2022
This was like, extremely underwhelming.
August 3, 2024
One morning, a little boy goes out to find a couple of things for his breakfast. But although he looks a lot of places, he doesn't find what he's seeking. At least, not until the end.
This is a playful book with a distinct pattern that makes it predictable and silly. This would be a fun book to read in a classroom. Children can start to predict what happens next and giggle over why the boy isn't finding what he wants.
This is a playful book with a distinct pattern that makes it predictable and silly. This would be a fun book to read in a classroom. Children can start to predict what happens next and giggle over why the boy isn't finding what he wants.
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August 7, 2025Simple, sweet farm animal storytime choice. For added flavor, ask after every page "does ___ animal lay eggs?" Giggles abound.
June 13, 2021
See my full review here: https://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsfi...
EARLY ONE MORNING is a picture book walk around a farm. A little boy heads out to find a couple of things for his breakfast. He notices that the tractor doesn't lay them, nor does the truck, nor cow, nor so many other things on the farm. So who does lay them? The reader may have known all along. The book ends with the boy and his caregiver eating the eggs for breakfast.
What I loved: This was a simple and whimsical look around the farm. The illustrations are intriguing, with a sketch-like quality and full of items and animals around the farm. The little boy has a chicken following him around the farm the whole time to add a touch of comedy. The writing is very simple with repetitive language as he searches for what lays the "things" he needs for breakfast.
What left me wanting more: The book never explicitly says that they were looking for eggs, and this may confuse some readers without additional context from a caregiver. The book also suddenly changes to second person at the end and does not quite draw the conclusions that would be helpful for young readers the simple phrasing suggests it would work best for (caregivers can spell these out for curious readers though).
Final verdict: EARLY ONE MORNING contains entertaining images of a boy and the chicken going around a small family farm looking for "things" for breakfast. The simple and repetitive phrasing would work well for toddlers alongside caregiver explanations.
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
EARLY ONE MORNING is a picture book walk around a farm. A little boy heads out to find a couple of things for his breakfast. He notices that the tractor doesn't lay them, nor does the truck, nor cow, nor so many other things on the farm. So who does lay them? The reader may have known all along. The book ends with the boy and his caregiver eating the eggs for breakfast.
What I loved: This was a simple and whimsical look around the farm. The illustrations are intriguing, with a sketch-like quality and full of items and animals around the farm. The little boy has a chicken following him around the farm the whole time to add a touch of comedy. The writing is very simple with repetitive language as he searches for what lays the "things" he needs for breakfast.
What left me wanting more: The book never explicitly says that they were looking for eggs, and this may confuse some readers without additional context from a caregiver. The book also suddenly changes to second person at the end and does not quite draw the conclusions that would be helpful for young readers the simple phrasing suggests it would work best for (caregivers can spell these out for curious readers though).
Final verdict: EARLY ONE MORNING contains entertaining images of a boy and the chicken going around a small family farm looking for "things" for breakfast. The simple and repetitive phrasing would work well for toddlers alongside caregiver explanations.
Please note that I received a review copy. All opinions are my own.
March 15, 2021
A young child takes a stroll around the farm yard in search of something for breakfast. Something that is laid. Adults will immediately know what the child is looking for but many small children will not. The gate doesn't lay them. Neither does the tractor or the hay stack. A chicken accompanies the child on the search -- they also encounter a cow, a sheep, and a pony. Eventually the child finds what they are seeking and presents them to his happy mother.
I really liked the simplicity of the story. And anyone with littles knows that "Please go fetch" is often accompanied by an extended detour to discover the requested item. I also liked that animal sounds were not included. It is obvious from the picture that the cow is mooing but that is not printed in the book so it's the perfect opportunity to ask the child what sound the cow is making. I agree that this would make a great read aloud for a toddler or preschool story time!
I really liked the simplicity of the story. And anyone with littles knows that "Please go fetch" is often accompanied by an extended detour to discover the requested item. I also liked that animal sounds were not included. It is obvious from the picture that the cow is mooing but that is not printed in the book so it's the perfect opportunity to ask the child what sound the cow is making. I agree that this would make a great read aloud for a toddler or preschool story time!
May 17, 2021
Heads Up: if you are a Vegan or are feeling touchy about this subject, this may not be the book for you. On the last page, 2 eggs are consumed in front of the chicken who laid them. She seems to have a surprised (?) look on her face.
I read this with Mister, who had previously read it with his big sister. He loved it so much that he wanted to read it "again, again!" He is 5 now, and I think he delighted in the simplicity of the text and all the familiar farm animals. He knows by now that I will ask him about each animal and what sound it makes; he obligingly tells me and makes the sound, and we are all quite happy and silly.
The illustrations are bright and colorful and almost retro in their cheerful flair. I think that this would be good for storytime except for the fear of hurting people's feelings over eating eggs.
I read this with Mister, who had previously read it with his big sister. He loved it so much that he wanted to read it "again, again!" He is 5 now, and I think he delighted in the simplicity of the text and all the familiar farm animals. He knows by now that I will ask him about each animal and what sound it makes; he obligingly tells me and makes the sound, and we are all quite happy and silly.
The illustrations are bright and colorful and almost retro in their cheerful flair. I think that this would be good for storytime except for the fear of hurting people's feelings over eating eggs.
July 5, 2021
A young boy sets out from the house on the farm searching for "a couple of things for his breakfast". The illustrations are key to mapping his joemney as he encounters a mix of farm machinery and farm animals looking for whowever will "lay thne". Meanwhile, he is followed by hen. Eventually he reaches the hen house, finds what he was seeking and heads home for his mum to cook and for them to both to enjoy breakfast.
This is a book that young children' will love as they join in the simple refrains and recognise familiar farm items and animals. Clever in its simplicity, so typical of Mem Fox, and cleverly illustrated by Christine Davenier with cheeky faces and strutting confident characters - love the hen strutting behind the boy on his morning journey around the farm.
This is a book that young children' will love as they join in the simple refrains and recognise familiar farm items and animals. Clever in its simplicity, so typical of Mem Fox, and cleverly illustrated by Christine Davenier with cheeky faces and strutting confident characters - love the hen strutting behind the boy on his morning journey around the farm.
September 11, 2023
Such a great life! Imagine being the hero of this book. Sadly, he has no name, beyond "a little boy." But, on the bright side, he lives on a farm.
For that reason, he's free to go hunting for breakfast, hunting for what's on the premises.
Partly this book provides educational reading for those of us who don't live on a farm. Maybe we've never seen a farm. And we might be plenty curious about what would be on that farm.
Partly, this book is a lighthearted mystery about what the little boy will finally forage for breakfast.
The ending is happy. I won't do a spoiler, no no!
The delightful words by Mem Fox and the so-very-likeable illustrations by Christine Davenier make this a totally FIVE STAR picture book.
For that reason, he's free to go hunting for breakfast, hunting for what's on the premises.
Partly this book provides educational reading for those of us who don't live on a farm. Maybe we've never seen a farm. And we might be plenty curious about what would be on that farm.
Partly, this book is a lighthearted mystery about what the little boy will finally forage for breakfast.
The ending is happy. I won't do a spoiler, no no!
The delightful words by Mem Fox and the so-very-likeable illustrations by Christine Davenier make this a totally FIVE STAR picture book.
August 5, 2021
Great storytime book - a boy goes for a walk to find his breakfast, and is followed by a chicken. He encounters lots of farm animals and objects, but none of them "lay them." Good opportunities for prediction, colors, sounds, and your audience being in the know before the character. The art has a lot of movement and expression in the very sketchy pencil and china marker art, beautifully filled with splashy watercolor. Unfortunately, depicts a very traditional picture book - a white male protagonist, gray haired, cardigan- and day-dress-wearing granny, old-timey truck and tractor, clothes on the line. Nothing bad, but nothing new. Hundreds of picture books look exactly like this.
August 28, 2024
This book is great for Storytime! I read it to a 3 year old class and a 4 year old class for a farm themed Storytime. I started with the children telling me what they noticed on the cover. They saw a boy, flowers, and a chicken. We then clucked like chickens. On the first page, I asked what they ate for breakfast. When one of the children shouted “eggs” I then had them help the character in the book search for the eggs. After each place, I asked, “Does ___ lay eggs?” The children shouted no. We ended the book with clucking like chickens and rubbing our bellies after we ate our breakfast. There is so much you can do with this book!
March 4, 2021
I saw the title of this book and started to hum Johnny Cash.
In reality, this is pretty far from a Johnny Cash song and is a retro tale about a young boy exploring his old-fashioned farmstead and collecting eggs for his breakfast. Various farm sights and sounds are explored on each page.
Vegan parents will want to be aware that the whole premise of the book is the boy discovering which farm animal lays eggs, and then collecting them to eat. The depiction of the idealistic barnyard is of course quite far from the reality of how most eggs are produced.
In reality, this is pretty far from a Johnny Cash song and is a retro tale about a young boy exploring his old-fashioned farmstead and collecting eggs for his breakfast. Various farm sights and sounds are explored on each page.
Vegan parents will want to be aware that the whole premise of the book is the boy discovering which farm animal lays eggs, and then collecting them to eat. The depiction of the idealistic barnyard is of course quite far from the reality of how most eggs are produced.
July 7, 2023
Children's classic author, Mem Fox, brings us a darling story of a young boy taking a walk on his farm to find something for breakfast. He knows the cows, horses, sheep and other animals he encounters can't lay them. What can?
Children will enjoy telling the reader that the animal that lays what the boy is looking for is following him around the farm. I was slightly frustrated with the guessing game reader's will have to play with kids to get them to figure out what the boy is actually looking for.
Recommended for storytime.
Children will enjoy telling the reader that the animal that lays what the boy is looking for is following him around the farm. I was slightly frustrated with the guessing game reader's will have to play with kids to get them to figure out what the boy is actually looking for.
Recommended for storytime.
March 27, 2025
Mem Fox is the queen of Australian picture book authors, and here is a great example of why that is.
This is reminiscent of Pat Hutchins's immortal Rosie's Walk, only this time the chicken is trying to get the attention, and the child is oblivious to what is going on behind them. "Well you knew all along," says the narrator, and this was made for audience participation. Great stuff.
This is reminiscent of Pat Hutchins's immortal Rosie's Walk, only this time the chicken is trying to get the attention, and the child is oblivious to what is going on behind them. "Well you knew all along," says the narrator, and this was made for audience participation. Great stuff.
March 19, 2021
A charming, cozy walk through the farmyard. A young boy sets off in search of eggs across the farm, commenting on all the other farm animals and fixtures (tractors, haystacks) that don't lay eggs. Very atmospheric, and it's cute that a chicken follows him on his whole stroll. Though these kinds of books are always weird to read as a vegan, haha.
April 19, 2021
A little white boy goes on a quest for breakfast on his farm. He finds one animal or object after another, but they don't lay them, the text says. This narrative opens up a lot for children to guess at. And the obvious answer is tagging along behind the youngster. However, the ending is left off a bit vague and unfinished.
June 20, 2021
Cute retro-feeling illustrations show a child going around the farm looking for eggs for breakfast. The text is very simple. Use with preschoolers for farm units. Look for the chicken in each illustration. Compared to other Mem Fox books, this one is a bit of a disappointment. Borrow from the public library instead of purchasing.
January 21, 2022
Not my favorite Mem Fox. I thought I had skipped a page when we went straight to "the gate doesn't lay them." The book never tells the reader what the boy is looking for--in theory this should be a fun guessing game. But, I feel like the first page doesn't do much to help us understand what the boy is looking for. Not everybody eats eggs for breakfast.
January 11, 2026
Jack and Dada borrowed this book from the library because it’s written by Mem Fox, and Dada enjoyed her books as a kid. Jack loved the farm vehicles and animals, including the rooster who followed the little boy around. He knew just what the little boy was looking for and who lays them. He thought “dippy egg” was funny, even though he wouldn’t try it when Grandie came to visit.
March 1, 2021
It's a little morbid to have the hen looking in at the end as people eat her eggs. I guess we'll assume they're unfertilized and that's why the hen seems perfectly okay with this prospect throughout the book.
March 16, 2021
THe illustrations were my favorite part of the book (considering pastels aren't often the go-to anymore). But the book was BLAH. No point and once you knew the little boy was looking for an egg, it was obvious what the punch line of the book would be.
May 29, 2021
This is such a sweet book, perfect for young readers. A little boy sets off across the farm to find eggs for his breakfast. I love that the chicken follows him the whole way! It is simple, charming, and sweet.
May 26, 2022
In this simple picture book for young children, a young boy is searching everywhere (follow the illustrations and simple text to guess) until he finally finds it for breakfast. Sweet tone and illustrations that will engage young readers.
July 18, 2022
Early one morning a little boy leaves his house, and takes a trek around the family farm in search of a couple of things for his breakfast, he walks and searches just about everywhere until he finds what he was looking for.
October 3, 2022
A very cute, somewhat repetative book about a boy looking for eggs for breakfast. He passes many things found on the farm and the children could act out sounds for each item. This could be fun translated into a flannel board activity for younger children.
November 2, 2022
Confusing in that the book never says what the boy wants for breakfast. The children are supposed to know that he wants eggs and that the chicken is the one laying the eggs. I probably will not use this again.
April 29, 2025
We read this for our Farm Storytime. It's pretty cute. A little boy goes looking on the farm for something for breakfast. It's fun for the kids to find the chicken in each picture as the boy searches for eggs.
February 7, 2021
Not the Mem Fox of your but a sweet enough premise / joke / guessing set up coupled with gentle illustrations to delight the very young.
February 25, 2021
Loved it! What a cute book!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews