Lovely tale!
Mr. Popper's Penguins
(2007, Fiction - For Beginning Readers, Written by Richard and Florence Atwater, Illustrated by Robert Lawson)
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Is it age appropriate?
About our ratings -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
1939 Newbery honor is both tender and funny.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 6 and Up
The good stuff
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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Sex:
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Language:
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Consumerism:
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Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
What Parents Need to Know
This review of Mr. Popper's Penguins was written by Pam Gelman
Parents need to know that this 1939 Newbery honor winner has captivated generations of readers. There's a little Mr. Popper in every reader, particularly those ages 5 to 8, full of questions about the world. In the end when facing a moral dilemma, Mr. Popper becomes a true hero. Vivid imagery, clever word plays, and funny characters that border on the absurd have made this book a popular choice in for kids in classrooms and at home.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about how the definition of family has changed since the 1930s. Mr. and Mrs. Popper have very clear roles in this family. What are they? Would they have the same roles today? Parents can also talk about the Adelie penguin and help kids look up this and other types of penguins on the Internet or at the library.
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More on Mr. Popper's Penguins
Book Summary
Mr. Popper is a house painter in the 1930s in Stillwater, USA, and only works Spring through Fall. Wintertime is when he drowns himself in National Geographic and radio shows about world explorers. During one such show, he learns of Admiral Drake and his Antarctic adventures. He writes to him who surprisingly responds to Mr. Popper's letter with a live penguin. The adventures start with one and soon enough, the penguin family grows to nine. Mr. Popper, his wife, and their two kids take the penguins on the road as an act to earn money. The act eventually gets old and there's a run-in with the law only to be bailed out by Admiral Drake. Mr. Popper is then faced with a moral dilemma that questions the penguins' future.
Is It Any Good?
MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS is one of those classic childhood books that kids always remember. The chapter book's witty dialogue (albeit with dated language), clever characters, and an ethical predicament make this book as enjoyable today as in the 1930s. Many teachers today use it as part of their language arts curriculum. Mr. Poppers Penguins is a good fit for most first- and second-grade readers, and can be read aloud to kindergartners.
Though the book was written in 1938, Mr. Popper was ahead of his time for progressive parenting, letting his kids leave school to help him take the penguin act on the road. He also treats his wife with respect, giving her voice equal status in the household. Kids will see through this funny, quirky man that learning never stops, and sometimes, by asking questions, great things happen. Mirroring the partnership of Mr. and Mrs. Popper, Richard Atwater got sick and was unable to finish the book, so his wife, Florence, picked up where he left off.
Publisher’s Details
Publisher: Little, Brown & Co., Publication date: 02/26/2007
Number of pages: 139, Price: $6.99 (paperback)
Read Aloud: 5-8, Read Alone: 7-12
Number of pages: 139, Price: $6.99 (paperback)
Read Aloud: 5-8, Read Alone: 7-12
Our Members Say
See all 6 member reviews
Most Recent Reviews
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
- My highlights are:
- Good role models
Lovely!
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
Fun story!!
This story is something great to read as a bedtime story with just enough excitement!
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I rate this title on for age 6 and give it
Chocolate Man
ioafjawofeawjiowe
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
love it
I love this book i think it was a very kid-friendly book and i think that lots of people should read this book he likes his 1 penguin so much that he gets so much more and then the penguins get famous well i wont tell you anymore read it
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I rate this title on for age 0 and give it
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