Introducing Mr. Popper’s Penguins

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Florence and Richard Atwater was published in 1938. It is a classic heartwarming children’s chapter book that explores the themes of family, friendship, and adventure. This book invites readers into the life of Mr. Popper who is a house painter interested in Antarctic expeditions. Mr. Popper’s life takes an unexpected turn when a package arrives at his home bringing joy and happiness into his life. 

Summary

The story begins with introducing Mr. Popper who is a resident of a small town called Stillwater. Mr. Popper is a house painter who lives a normal life until he receives an unexpected gift from the Antarctic explorer, Admiral Drake. The gift turns out to be a penguin which Mr. Popper names Captain Cook. Mr. Popper and his family learn to care for the penguin and create a living space for it in their basement. However, they realize that Captain Cook is lonely and contacts the zoo for a companion for Captain Cook. The zoo sends a female penguin named Greta and this resulted in more penguins in the Popper’s household as Captain Cook and Greta have a family of their own. With the many penguins Mr. Popper transforms his house into a winter wonderland to accommodate the penguins. One day Mr. Popper decided to turn his home into a performance venue for his penguins to share their talents so he can make some money. The act grew popularity and Mr. Popper and his penguins are able to go on tour.

My Thoughts

Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a creative and imaginative book that I enjoyed reading. I found the story humorous, adventurous and heartwarming at times. I liked how the story highlights Mr. Popper’s bond with his penguins and the joy and warmth that is brought into his household. Mr Popper went from living a normal calm life to a chaotic and comical one. I believe this book has a timeless appeal, despite the book being written in 1938, it continues to fascinate readers of all ages because of the humorous situations Mr. Popper comes across. As a child I enjoyed watching the movie and now reading the book it is interesting to see how different the book is compared to the movie.

Recommendations 

I would recommend this book to children in grades 4-6 because the themes and language are more suitable and accessible. However, because the book is very humorous and adventurous it can also be enjoyable for younger children if it is read aloud. If you enjoy adventure and comedy books with an engaging storyline then you would definitely enjoy this book!