Mr. Popper was so fascinated by Antarctica that he wrote to the Drake Expedition, and the explorer sent him …a penguin! Imagine – a real penguin living with a house-painter and his family.

Of course, everyone had to make some adjustments, as Captain Cook the penguin learned to slide down the stairs instead of down snowy slopes, and Mrs. Popper coped with a penguin in the icebox. But penguins live in large flocks, so Captain Cook became unhappy and unwell. The Aquarium’s lone penguin was sad and lonely, so she soon came to live with the Poppers, too.

In the winter, Mr. Popper had no house-painting jobs, so money was scarce. But the cold weather delighted the penguin couple as they built a rocky nest in the icebox and brought forth more penguins!

How will the Poppers be able to feed all those penguins and themselves now? Perhaps a parade? Or a performance?

Enjoy the penguins’ adventures in their small town and the big city in this classic Newbery Honor Book, set in the good old days when radio, the movies, and live stage shows entertained everyone.

Recommended by: Katy Manck, Librarian-at-Large (retired academic/corporate/school librarian), Gilmer, Texas, USA