Mr. Popper's Penguins

Today, Novel Thoughts explores Mr. Popper's Penguins, a book in the 3rd Grade Literature Curriculum Program. This delightful and entertaining read is a great option for kids in their third grade year. We cover how to teach Mr. Popper's Penguins, review key themes and insights, and talk about how the book provides a great catalyst in the rest of our Classical Christian homeschool curriculum.

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater is a classic work of imagination that always delights young readers. The Teacher and Student Guides included in the Set will increase the student’s Reading Comprehension skills. The lovable Mr. Popper dreams of being an intrepid Antarctic explorer, living a life among the penguins alongside his hero, Admiral Drake. So he is shocked one day when the Admiral responds to his fan letter by sending him a package containing a real live penguin!

Soon, this penguin is joined by another and before long Mr. Popper has an ice rink in the basement and a dozen delightful penguins living in his house. With hardly enough money to feed his family, and an ever-increasing bill for raw fish and canned shrimp, what can the wonderfully imaginative Mr. Popper do but train his penguins and take the show on the road!

This unforgettable tale has become a beloved classic, inviting readers to imagine, dream, and believe that anything is possible. Caldecott and Newbery Medal winner Robert Lawson offers delightfully humorous illustrations that are as integral to the charm of this classic as the story itself.