Mr. Poppers Penguins by Florence
Atwater
Great Reading Of A Wonderful Classic
More than 60 years have not dated this wonderfully absurd tale--it still
makes kids (and parents) laugh out loud. Poor Mr. Popper isnt exactly
unhappy; he just wishes he had seen something of the world before
meeting Mrs. Popper and settling down. Most of all, he wishes he had
seen the Poles, and spends his spare time between house-painting jobs
reading all about polar explorations. Admiral Drake, in response to Mr.
Poppers fan letter, sends him a penguin; life at 432 Proudfoot Avenue is
never the same again. From one penguin living in the icebox, the Popper
family grows to include 12 penguins, all of whom must be fed. Thus is
born Poppers Performing Penguins, First Time on Any Stage, Direct from
the South Pole. Their adventures while on tour are hilarious, with
numerous slapstick moments as the penguins disrupt other acts and
invade hotels. Classic chapter-a-night fun. (Ages 5 to 10) --Richard Farr
Personal Review: Mr. Poppers Penguins by Florence Atwater

At 71 years old, this book is still as popular as it was when published back
in 1938! How had I made it all the way through childhood and a looooong
adulthood without ever having heard of it?
I decided it would be one of the books that 8 yo, "J", and I would read
together. He's been pretty deep into the Wimpy Kid books lately, so I
wasn't sure how he would take to some of the more old-fashioned
elements of this story. But we really like penguins at my house, so I figured
that aspect would capture his interest. I needn't have been concerned. He
absolutely LOVED this book!
Mr. Popper is somewhat of an absent-minded dreamer, and he often finds
himself in the middle of some of the most absurdly ridiculous predicaments
-- even before any penguins take up residence at 432 Proudfoot Avenue.
Once they begin to move in, though, the chaos is hilarious. One of the
most hysterical scenes takes place when Mr. Popper telephones City Hall
to find out whether he needs a license for his first penguin, Captain Cook. I
won't spoil it for you, but it reads a lot like the old 'Who's on first' routine.
"J" was literally rolling around laughing, unable to catch his breath! I got a
kick out of the variant ways characters reacted to seeing a virtual chorus
line of penguins walking around town. Some were completely freaked out,
which of course was funny, but others took it completely in stride, and that
acceptance was laughably ludicrous!
There are some illustrations here and there throughout the book which
enhance rather than overpower the story. The interior drawings are the
original illustrations by Robert Lawson, and they nicely set the story in the
30's as well as show the sweetness of the penguins. The cover art of this
edition, by Michael Emberley, is cute and funny.
This is a story not to be missed. I think anyone would enjoy the silliness,
but there's nothing quite like experiencing this sort of inanity with a kid at
your elbow and seeing it through their eyes. I hope you all have one handy
to share this comical adventure about what can happen when dreams
come true.
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