This inspired a much better film. What I liked the most was how well the beginning pages illustrates how the Law of Attraction works! Mr. Poppers is immersed in his desire (penguins and Antarctica). So he reads about it, thinks about it, dreams about it, watches films about it, listens to a radio show about it....until he manifests a penguin on his porch! This is the correct formula that Law of Attraction teaches and how perfect for children...He holds his desire from a place of happiness (very important) and he is not bothered at all by reactions from others that may trip him up (like his wife who is always worrying about money).

But the plot gets a little haywire as soon as the penguins become entertainers. So, Poppers gets into despair.( This wasn't really what he wanted.) Then he seems to get back on track while remembering his original desire: to transport the penguins from the South Pole to the North Pole.....But this was rather puzzling! I mean, why? I think this rather strange turn of events hurts the story. I mean he got his wish, but as a children's book it fails because children are learning science and they would naturally want to learn more about penguins and why they DON'T live at the North Pole and that would be rather depressing explaining to them that penguins have never known predators-- so lets introduce them to a place where there are other animals who would prey on them and see if they survive? ( )

I will always, always, always have a place in my heart for this book. ( )

I wanted to buy a copy of one of my children favorites. It wasn't quite as entertaining as I remember, but the pictures where better, I was pleasantly surprised to find they were done by Robert Lawson ( )

I truly adored the first part of this book and I thought it was going to be a five-star read, but the second half was much worse and I didn't like the ending. I wish I had read this book as a child. ( )

Mr. Popper, an unassuming, gentle man, paints houses for a living. His hobbies are reading books and watching documentaries about the North and South Poles. When Popper sends a letter to the famous Antarctic explorer, Admiral Drake, the admiral answers his letter by sending him a surprise- a male Adelie penguin. Mr. Popper names him Captain Cook and builds him a nest in the icebox. When the penguin falls sick from lack of companionship, Mr. Popper gets a female penguin from a zoo. Then, the Poppers transform their basement into a miniature South Pole, and, soon, Greta lays ten eggs. With all the new mouths to feed and extra expenses incurred to keep the penguins cold, the Poppers are soon out of money and in debt. The Poppers and the neighbors love watching the penguins’ antics so Mr. Popper decides to audition them as a theater act. They are a success, and the Poppers go on a ten-week tour of the United States. Wrong directions and penguin antics almost ruin everything.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com ( )