Literature Guide: Mr. Popper's Penguins (Grades 4-8) (Paperback)

by Florence Atwater (Author), Richard Atwater (Author) "Mr. Popper's house-painting season is over, and he is free to spend his time reading about his favorite subject, polar expeditions..." (more)
Key Phrases: Captain Cook, Admiral Drake, South Pole (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Mr. Popper, when not painting or papering his neighbors' walls, has a persistent penchant for penguins. A decorator by day, he's an intrepid Antarctic explorer by night--at least in his imagination. Mr. Popper resigns himself to quiet evenings at home with his family and his travel books, until one day a mysterious package arrives. Pretty soon the Poppers have a house full of penguins, an ice rink in the basement, and an ever-increasing bill for raw fish and canned shrimp. Time to take this show on the road!

The Atwaters wrote this unforgettable tale in 1938, but its timeless charm shows no signs of aging. Children are invited to imagine, dream, and believe that anything is possible. Robert Lawson, illustrator of The Story of Ferdinand, offers delightfully humorous pictures--as integral to this classic as the story itself. An ideal read-aloud book for all ages, Mr. Popper's Penguins will have any audience rolling in the aisles. (Ages 9 to 12) --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Description
A complete guide to teaching Mr. Popper's Penguins. Includes an author biography, background information, summaries, thought-provoking discussion questions, as well as creative, cross-curricular activities and reproducibles that motivate students.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 16 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590366459
• ISBN-13: 978-0590366458
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (143 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,869,564 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Teachers to Use For A Thematic Unit, October 13, 2000

By	Rocco B. Rubino "Rocco R." (Ohio) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Mr. Popper's Penguins (Paperback)

My daughter recently brought this book home, and after reading only one page, I went and bought my own copy! I had to have this for my classroom!

I teach children with mild to moderate specific learning disabilities who need to regularly experience success in reading if they are ever going to become lifelong readers. What better way to foster desired literacy behaviors than using this delightful tale of an absentminded housepainter, his tidy, yet serious wife, their two children, and 12 performing penguins!

After reading this book, I thought that it would be ideal to use as the focus of a thematic unit on penguins. Believe it or not, there are many themes in the book that lend themselves to serious classroom discussion. For example, Mr. Popper daydreams of far-away places. There is the theme of daydreaming, why people daydream, as well as the theme of travel. Students could be asked to journal about their daydreams, as well as their hopes and dreams of visiting faraway places, which leads into a study of the geography and culture of other people.

In my 6th grade language arts class, I plan on focusing on the 17 different types of penguins there are, where they are found, some of their habits, as well as studying about polar exploration. Thanks to this timeless tale, I have a wealth information to use for exploration with my own class.

Mr. Popper's Penguins is a wonderful example of how a well written trade book can be used across the curriculum, to foster lifelong literacy habits, and broaden a child's horizon.

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Opus times twelve, May 17, 2004

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mr. Popper's Penguins (Paperback)

I've lived 26 years on this earth. In those 26 years I've learned a lot about children's books. I've learned which ones are considered the holiest of holies and which are to be condemned and spat upon. So I was completely taken aback when I learned that there was a 1938 children's book that absolutely no one had ever told me to read before. "Mr. Popper's Penguins" was a delight to discover. Suddenly I was privy to reading a charming story of a man and his penguins, and I had never even heard a peep about this tale from anyone. What gives? Why isn't "Mr. Popper's Penguins" as well-known and well-read as "Cheaper by the Dozen" or "Stuart Little"? There is no answer to this question. There is only this wonderful book, well-illustrated and magnificently written for the younger set.

Mr. Popper is a house painter, and mostly a good one. True, he does sometimes fall into fits of fancy, dreaming about the Arctic explorers and the ice floes to the North and South. His wife and children don't necessarily understand his dreams, but that doesn't sway Mr. Popper. One day, out of the blue, he receives word that one of the great explorers he wrote, Admiral Drake, read his letter and is sending him a present. As any child who remembers the title of the book might guess, a penguin comes hopping out of a newly delivered crate the next day. Mr. Popper is charmed by the little guest, and names him Captain Cook. Cook is a curious beasty, and the Poppers do everything from outfitting their refrigerator to taking Captain Cook for walks. When the penguin falls into a deep depression it is only the delivery of a second penguin from the zoo, Gerta, that cheers him up. Soon the penguin pair lay some eggs and the Popper household is privy to ten more lovely jumpy penguins. With money hard to come by it takes a clever Mr. Popper to come up with a way to make his penguins not only profitable, but stars.

First of all, make certain that if you are reading a version of this story that you have grabbed one that has Robert Lawson's beautiful illustrations. The same illustrator that's responsible for the lovable picture book, "Ferdinand the Bull" has switched his focus from beef to fowl. These penguins are remarkably well drawn, from their inquisitive little eys to their ugly webbed feet. If you've never seen a Lawson illustration, here would be a good place to start. The writing of Richard and Florence Atwater is extremely readable for anyone of any age. The phrase, "they just don't make `em like that anymore" is unfair, but also kind of true. There's something to the simplicity of this book that you just can't find anywhere else. It is, all in all, just fantastic. And with Lawson's adept renderings of all the characters and situations, you are left in no doubt that this is one of the best books of this or any other age.

So a great wrong has been righted. I am no longer in the dark regarding "Mr. Popper's Penguins". If you'd like to introduce your kids (or, heaven forfend, yourself) to a fantastic piece of penguin rookery, grab yourself a copy of this l'il number. It's bound to make you a fan.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review about Mr. Popper's Penguins, April 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mr. Popper's Penguins (Paperback)

I read this book and thought is was cute, funny, and a great read! The charecters are: Mr. Popper, a man very interested in the arctic, Mrs. Popper who is his wife, thier children Janie and Bill, the 12 penguins, Mr. Greenbuam who owns a theater, and Admiral Drake who is an arctic explorer. Mr. Popper is sent a penguin by Admiral Drake. When the penguin gets sick the aquarium sends Mr. Popper a girl penguin, and, naturally the 2 have babies.The Poppers cannot affford the penguins, so Mr. Popper decides to let them perform on stage. Mr. Greenbaum lets them use his stage, and the family gets richer and richer. At the end Admiral Drake comes and asks Mr. Popper if he would like to take the performing penguins and himself to the South Pole for 2 years. Mr. Popper says yes. I hope you read this book because it is wonderful.