I've been meaning to read this book for quite some time, and this summer, I have finally achieved my goal!Mr. Popper is a daydreamer. Even as he paints houses (his job), he is only able to think about Antarctica. The white snow tundra and the cold, windy climate captivate him, but the one thing that he would kill to see are penguins. He is struck by their beauty, gracefulness and even more, their complexion. So, it seems a huge miracle when his letter to his hero, Admiral Drake (an explorer currently in Antarctica) gets answered by him on radio, and Drake promises a suprise for Mr. Popper soon. Certainly Mr. Popper was not expecting a penguin of all things! But a penguin it was, and a smart one at that. He named him Captain Cook, and Cook was soon taught many tricks. After sometime though, Cook's health was failing. Mr. Popper wrote to an aquarium for help, and they suspected that the penguin was only lonely. That is how Greta came to live with the Poppers as well. Soon there were ten baby penguins strutting around the house. Unsure of what to do with so many penguins, the Poppers began training them to perform on stage. Everything goes on fine, until one day, Mr. Popper shows up at the wrong theater and is arrested. Luckily, Admiral Drake himself comes and bails Mr. Popper out. They decide that the penguins would be better off in their own habitat, and Drake, along with Mr. Popper, head off to the South Pole to release the penguins to the place they should have been all along. This short chapter book is funny and cute (for an old-timer) and there should be one copy on the bookshelf of every household!
