Award: Newbery Honor Book
Evaluation of the book:
Mr. Popper’s character in Mr. Popper’s Penguins is crazy and unbelievable, but, as one reads the book, it becomes clear that he is beloved by all who meet him. His wife, Mrs. Popper, puts up with his antics even though she worries about practical things; his children adore him and his penguins; Admiral Drake sends him a penguin simply because he wrote a letter; and we, the readers, follow in the other characters’ footsteps by falling in love with Mr. Popper and his craziness, too! Mr. Popper may be absurd, but he certainly knows how to pull on some heartstrings.
There is a tension between the absurdity of story and some very real observations of life that happen simultaneously. For example, when Mr. Popper freezes over the floor in his living room to make an ice skating rink, the narrator notes that “It was hard at first to move the furniture, because the feet of the chairs had frozen into the ice” (p. 72). There is no comment on how ridiculous making an ice rink in the living room is; there is simply the real observation of how hard moving frozen furniture is. These bits of real life thrown into the absurd situations make the story lighthearted and extra fun.
Every couple of pages in this book contain an illustration or two. These illustrations are absolutely adorable and help set the mood by showing Mr. Popper with his ridiculous mustache, Mrs. Popper with her hat and spectacles, frozen living rooms, and the penguins marching, playing, and performing. Just as the story is memorable and beloved for whoever has read it; so too are the images of Mr. Popper, his mustache, and his penguins.
Response:
How did you learn, and how much were your views and opinions challenged or changed by this text, if at all?
This book sings the message that it’s OK to be ridiculous loud and clear. I personally found myself relating to poor Mrs. Popper, always worried about the more practical things in life, Mr. Popper’s antics making me slightly uncomfortable. But, in the end, I found that the book taught me that, even though being ridiculous is not my usual attitude, sometimes it’s a ton of fun.
How well does it address things that you, personally, care about and consider important to the world?
Real issues and complete absurdity are found hand in hand in this book; it’s a good example of real life. If this book were entirely made up of practical observations about how the Poppers were going to afford food, or conversely made up entirely of crazy antics like freezing living rooms it wouldn’t be half as enjoyable. Life, like this book, is filled with craziness and practicality. You can’t have one without the other or else life would be no fun!
How well did you enjoy the text (or not) as entertainment or as a work of art?
Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a classic for good reason - it’s a laugh-out-loud good time read. I enjoyed it immensely as entertainment; it has survived the many years as a classic because of its blending of well-written art and fun-times entertainment.
Conclusion:
Even though there is a tension between the actions of dreamer Mr. Popper and practical Mrs. Popper, the overall tone of the story makes it clear that this book is meant to be entirely lighthearted and fun. I’d recommend this book to any hesitant reader who needs a completely ridiculous, easy-to-read book to nudge them along their reading journey.
APA Style Reference:
Atwater, R., Atwater, F., & Lawson, R. (1994). Mr. Popper’s penguins. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Original work published 1938).
Mr. Popper’s character in Mr. Popper’s Penguins is crazy and unbelievable, but, as one reads the book, it becomes clear that he is beloved by all who meet him. His wife, Mrs. Popper, puts up with his antics even though she worries about practical things; his children adore him and his penguins; Admiral Drake sends him a penguin simply because he wrote a letter; and we, the readers, follow in the other characters’ footsteps by falling in love with Mr. Popper and his craziness, too! Mr. Popper may be absurd, but he certainly knows how to pull on some heartstrings.
There is a tension between the absurdity of story and some very real observations of life that happen simultaneously. For example, when Mr. Popper freezes over the floor in his living room to make an ice skating rink, the narrator notes that “It was hard at first to move the furniture, because the feet of the chairs had frozen into the ice” (p. 72). There is no comment on how ridiculous making an ice rink in the living room is; there is simply the real observation of how hard moving frozen furniture is. These bits of real life thrown into the absurd situations make the story lighthearted and extra fun.
Every couple of pages in this book contain an illustration or two. These illustrations are absolutely adorable and help set the mood by showing Mr. Popper with his ridiculous mustache, Mrs. Popper with her hat and spectacles, frozen living rooms, and the penguins marching, playing, and performing. Just as the story is memorable and beloved for whoever has read it; so too are the images of Mr. Popper, his mustache, and his penguins.
Response:
How did you learn, and how much were your views and opinions challenged or changed by this text, if at all?
This book sings the message that it’s OK to be ridiculous loud and clear. I personally found myself relating to poor Mrs. Popper, always worried about the more practical things in life, Mr. Popper’s antics making me slightly uncomfortable. But, in the end, I found that the book taught me that, even though being ridiculous is not my usual attitude, sometimes it’s a ton of fun.
How well does it address things that you, personally, care about and consider important to the world?
Real issues and complete absurdity are found hand in hand in this book; it’s a good example of real life. If this book were entirely made up of practical observations about how the Poppers were going to afford food, or conversely made up entirely of crazy antics like freezing living rooms it wouldn’t be half as enjoyable. Life, like this book, is filled with craziness and practicality. You can’t have one without the other or else life would be no fun!
How well did you enjoy the text (or not) as entertainment or as a work of art?
Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a classic for good reason - it’s a laugh-out-loud good time read. I enjoyed it immensely as entertainment; it has survived the many years as a classic because of its blending of well-written art and fun-times entertainment.
Conclusion:
Even though there is a tension between the actions of dreamer Mr. Popper and practical Mrs. Popper, the overall tone of the story makes it clear that this book is meant to be entirely lighthearted and fun. I’d recommend this book to any hesitant reader who needs a completely ridiculous, easy-to-read book to nudge them along their reading journey.
APA Style Reference:
Atwater, R., Atwater, F., & Lawson, R. (1994). Mr. Popper’s penguins. New York, NY: Scholastic. (Original work published 1938).
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