Mr. Popper's Penguins
by Richard Atwater · Florence Atwater
- Lexile
- 910L
- Grade range
- Grades 3–5
- Age range
- Ages 8–11
- Pages
- 139
- First published
- 1938
- Genre
- Middle Grade Fiction
- ISBN-13
- 9780316058421
About this book
A small-town house painter receives a penguin in the mail and soon has a dozen of them living in his refrigerator, which he trains into a vaudeville act. The Atwaters' Newbery Honor novel is a common 3rd-5th grade assignment and appears in Common Core Appendix B.
Themes
- family
- adventure
- imagination
- determination
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 4th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 4-5 Newbery Honor
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is Mr. Popper's Penguins?
- Mr. Popper's Penguins is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 3–5, with a Lexile measure of 910L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of Mr. Popper's Penguins?
- Mr. Popper's Penguins has a Lexile measure of 910L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- What curricula assign Mr. Popper's Penguins?
- Mr. Popper's Penguins appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is Mr. Popper's Penguins banned in schools?
- Mr. Popper's Penguins does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does Mr. Popper's Penguins explore?
- Central themes in Mr. Popper's Penguins include family, adventure, imagination, determination. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.