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Mr. Popper's Penguins
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Mr. Popper's Penguins (1938) (edit title/settings)

by Richard Tupper Atwater (Author), Florence Hasseltine Atwater (Author), Robert Lawson (Illustrator) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

The 1938 classic tells the story of Mr. Popper, the small-town housepainter who dreamed of exploring Antarctic regions, and Captain Cook, the redoubtable penguin who turned Mr. Popper's world upside down. Reprint. Newbery Honor Book. H. SLJ. NYT. AB.

Summary edit see section history

Mr. Popper is a house painter. He is a man who dreams of traveling to many far places around the world. Mr. Popper does not have any money for these trips. He is an avid reader and usually reads magazines about famous people and distant lands. One day, the Popper family tunes in to a radio... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Mr. Popper is a house painter. He is a man who dreams of traveling to many far places around the world. Mr. Popper does not have any money for these trips. He is an avid reader and usually reads magazines about famous people and distant lands. One day, the Popper family tunes in to a radio broadcast by an Admiral Drake, who is exploring Antarctica, and they are surprised. The admiral has actually answered a letter from Mr. Popper! He promises Mr. Popper a surprise in the mail.

On that day, Mr. Popper gets his surprise. It comes in a big package. The Popper family is excited by their new surprise, a penguin, which is now living in its new habitat. Mr. Popper names the penguin "Captain Cook" (after the famous James Cook) and he cleans out the freezer (icebox) so that the penguin can sleep inside. Captain Cook is very playful, if not a little weird (he eats the Popper family's goldfish when the he arrived). As time goes by, the Poppers find that Captain Cook is growing large, yet his health is failing. Mr. Popper writes to the curator of a large aquarium, asking for help. The curator replies that the aquarium has a female penguin, Greta, who unfortunately is also experiencing the same symptoms, and he suggests that perhaps the penguins are simply lonely. Soon after, the Poppers receive their second penguin in the mail.

The pair of penguins are revitalized by each others presence. The Poppers are not quite sure of what to do with them, because they will not both fit in the icebox. Mr. Popper then simply opens the window to let in the cold winter air. Mrs. Popper becomes upset, however, because the snow covers the entire floor. The Popper children love it, however. They have fun with the penguins, but opening the windows will not work in springtime. Therefore, Mr. Popper has the main things moved upstairs and a freezing plant installed in the basement for the birds. The Poppers are now in huge debt.

As time passes, Greta lays an egg. Although normal penguins do not lay more than two eggs at a time, Greta continues laying a new egg every three days until the total reaches ten. Mr. Popper attributes this to the change in climate the birds have experienced. When the eggs hatch, the Popper family now have twelve penguins to feed, and the contractor is looking for payment on the household changes. The Popper family are now out of money.

Mr. Popper decides to raise money by training the twelve penguins and featuring them into a circus act. The birds are going at the local theater, and soon, the "Popper's Performing Penguins" are featured throughout the country. But in the theater in New York, the penguins cause trouble; what's worse, they've accidentally shown up at the wrong theater. The manager of the wrong theater is extremely angry and has Mr. Popper arrested, along with the penguins.

Bail is posted for Mr. Popper by Admiral Drake. This is because Admiral Drake had heard about Popper's Performing Penguins, and had wanted to see it for himself. After speaking with Drake, Popper decides that show business is no life for a penguin. Drake lets all of the twelve penguins go with him on his expedition to the North Pole, where they will be released into the Arctic. (This is not a factual error; the characters are aware that penguins normally live only in the Southern Hemisphere.) The Poppers are sad to see the penguins go, especially Mr. Popper himself — that is, until Admiral Drake invites Mr. Popper to accompany him on the trip. The Poppers wave goodbye as Mr. Popper and his penguins sail away towards the North Pole.

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Mr. Popper: The protagonist; a very nice man who paints houses for his job, likes penguins and is intrigued by Antarctica.
  • Mrs. Popper: Mr. Popper's wife.
  • Bill: Mr. Popper's son.
  • Janie: Mr. Popper's daughter.
  • Captain Cook: Mr. Popper's first penguin, received unexpectedly in the mail from Admiral Drake.
  • Greta: A second penguin, acquired by Mr. Popper from a zoo, to give Captain Cook a companion. Greta is a female.
  • Admiral Drake: Arctic explorer who sends Capt. Cook to the Poppers then comes to see them perform and bails Mr. Popper out of jail.
  • Mr. Greenbaum: Hires Popper's Performing Penguins to perform in shows across the country in his many theaters.
  • Nelson: Penguin
  • Mrs. Callahan: Neighbor of the Poppers
  • Mr. Klein: The movie director that would like to film the Popper Penguins
  • Monsieur Duval: A tightrope walker.
Show all 12 characters
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Setting & Locations edit see section history

Stillwater, the small town where the Poppers live.

First Sentence edit see section history

IT WAS AN afternoon in late September.

Table of Contents edit see section history

1. Stillwater
2. The voice in the air
3. Out of the Antarctic
4. Captain Cook
5. Troubles with a Penguin
6. More Troubles
7. Captain Cook Builds a Nest
8. Penguin's Promenade
9. In the Barber Shop
10. Shadows
11. Greta
12. More Mouths to Feed
13. Money Worries
14. Mr Greenbaum
15. Popper's Performing Penguins
16. On the Road
17. Fame
18. April Winds
19. Admiral Drake
20. Farewell, Mr. Popper

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 200 of 986 in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. (authoritative list)

Preceded by Elsie Piddock Skips in Her Sleep, and followed by Adventures of the Little Wooden Horse.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Richard Tupper Atwater (Author)
  2. Florence Hasseltine Atwater (Author)
  3. Robert Lawson (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Little, Brown
Country: USA
Publication Date: 1938
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 139

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PZ10.3.A89
  • Dewey: 813

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