Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a children’s chapter book directed at readers in the third through fifth grades. Originally published in 1938, this classic story is told in the third person. It was inspired in 1932, when Richard and Florence Atwater brought their young daughters to see a documentary film about Richard E. Byrd’s Antarctic expedition. Richard Atwater announced that he would write a book about the subject, and this led to the story of a character named Mr. Popper who receives the gift of a penguin by mail from the South Pole.

Richard Atwater completed a manuscript of the first draft of Mr. Popper’s Penguins in 1934; however, he became ill and was unable to continue writing. Florence Atwater rewrote the story and it was published in 1938 by Little, Brown and Company in New York City. This children’s classic was named a Newbery Honor Book in 1939; won the Young Reader’s Choice Award in 1940; and was one of the first Lewis Carroll Shelf Award books in 1958. The book was loosely adapted in a film starring Jim Carrey in 2011.

The summary of Mr. Popper’s Penguins that follows is based on the paperback version of the work published by the Hachette Book Group division of Little, Brown in November 1992 (ISBN: 978-0-316-05843-8.)

Plot Summary

The storyline of Mr. Popper’s Penguins revolves around an otherworldly, artistic housepainter who resides in the small town of Stillwater with his wife and two children. Although he has never left his Stillwater, Mr. Popper dreams of visiting far away countries and is particularly interested in the North and South Poles. During the winter months, when none of the local residents want painting and wallpapering done, Mr. Popper spends his time studying atlases about the Arctic and Antarctic. His wife, who loves him but is a more practical individual, worries about the family budget, caring for the children, and keeping the house tidy.

Mr. Popper writes a letter to Admiral Drake, an Antarctic explorer, complimenting his photos of the region and commenting about how funny the penguins look. The Admiral contacts his pen pal by radio and tells him that he is sending a gift, which proves to be Captain Cook, a penguin. Eventually, a second penguin, Greta, is procured from an aquarium when Captain Cook becomes sick from loneliness; Greta was suffering from the same malady. The pair produce a large brood, and the Poppers sacrifice their icebox to house the birds and eventually renovate their home to accommodate the birds’ need for snow and cold temperatures. The expenses involved include daily delivery of fresh fish for the dozen birds, and the meager family budget is strained as a result.

Eventually, Mr. Popper trains the animals to perform and the family tours the country with them for 10 weeks after procuring a very lucrative contract. The penguins’ antics charm audiences and provide comedic anecdotal material for the authors, including the temporary incarceration of the animals and their owner. When it becomes clear to Mr. Popper that his beloved pets are suffering due to the warm temperatures and the stress of touring, he agrees to give them to Admiral Drake to bring to the North Pole in order to start a penguin colony. Although heartbroken by this decision, he feels that it is best for the birds. Admiral Drake insists that Mr. Popper accompany the government sponsored voyage to care for the animals. Mrs. Popper and the children will live on the proceeds of the theater tour in his absence for a year or two, and Mr. Popper’s dreams of exploration are realized.