Mr. Popper's Penguins

Open Road

Mr. Popper's Penguins
Richard Atwater
Florence Atwater
1938

The Summary
"It was hard enough for Mr. Popper to support himself, Mrs. Popper, Bill and Janie Popper.  The addition of twelve penguins to the family made it impossible to make both ends meet.  Then Mr. Popper had a splendid idea--the talented penguins would be a sensation on the stage.  And so they were...

"A classic American humor, this story of a gentle house-painter and his high-stepping penguins has delighted children for generations."

The Good
Mr. Popper's Penguins is actually a lot of fun.  It's full of little adventurous:  trying to figure out how to support a house full of penguins, creating such a grand display with 12 penguins in tow, looking for a taxi that would take them all across town--and wouldn't be frightened of the birds.

And, speaking of penguins, I loved those little birds.  Starting with Greta and Captain Cook, it's such a fun journey to see how their little clan grows and flourishes and becomes national performance stars.  They were such characters, and I could see why Mr. Popper loved them so.

Overall, Mr. Popper's Penguins was an amusing little book and easy to read, meaning it's a great book for a young audience.

The Bad
Admittedly, I did find myself feeling a little bored while reading Mr. Popper's Penguins.  I mean, it's a great children's book, but, honestly, I wasn't smitten.  Moreover, as an adult, I found some of the things the Poppers' did to accommodate the penguins made me wince.  Like turning the living room into an ice rink--I mean, do you know what kind of havoc that would wreak on wood floors, not to mention the walls?

And I lamented the debt that poor Mr. Popper accrued for the refrigeration unit in the basement, or the costliness of fresh fish and every day bills for keeping a dozen penguins happy and healthy.  It's a bit difficult to read as an adult, realizing the economic toll, despite suspending disbelief.

The Ugly
Crippling debt.