Mr. Popper's Penguins
Recommended. Age: 9+. A Catholic review of this book for parents.
Our review
Mr. Popper paints houses and dreams about the North and South Poles. One day a real penguin comes in the mail, and soon there are twelve. The family is kind, funny and honest about money. A penguin gets sick for a while, and one gets a spank. It is a happy book for almost any age. A clean, funny family story with a married couple who work as a team and pay what they owe. At the end Mr. Popper turns down Hollywood money for what is best for the birds. There is no faith content to correct and none to lean on. It is simply good fun, well told.
For parents
Read aloud from five. Independent reading from seven or eight, and third grade is a natural fit. Ask why Mr. Popper says no to the movie money. Ask how Mrs. Popper handles a tight budget without complaining. The family repays the neighbors first, which is justice in small things (CCC 2411). Sensitive children may want a word before Captain Cook falls ill. He recovers.