BookBright
ABOUT THE BOOK
NO SPOILERSMr. Popper is a house painter in the small town of Stillwater who spends his winters dreaming about the polar regions he has never seen. He reads every book about the Arctic and Antarctic he can find, watches polar expedition movies at the local theater, and writes fan letters to explorers. One day, his letter to the famous Admiral Drake gets a response on the radio, and soon a large, mysterious crate arrives at 432 Proudfoot Avenue from the Antarctic. Inside is a live penguin, which the Popper family names Captain Cook, and suddenly the life of this ordinary house painter becomes anything but ordinary.
Free Battle of the Books questions for Mr. Popper's Penguins
SPOILERSEvery one of these has the same answer, and that is the point. In a real battle the question is read aloud with a dozen other books in play, and students have a few seconds to place it. Here is what a battle might ask about Mr. Popper's Penguins. Use them as a quiz, a trivia round, or BOTB practice.
Where in the book they come from
- Early in the book
In what book does a man paint three sides of a kitchen green and the fourth side yellow?
✓ Answer
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Mr. Popper is so absent-minded that he once painted a kitchen two different colors by accident. The housewife liked it so much she kept it, and soon everybody in Stillwater wanted two-colored kitchens.
- First half
In what book does a nest contain spools of thread, a chess bishop, and parts of a jigsaw puzzle?
✓ Answer
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
Since Captain Cook cannot find any pebbles or stones to build his nest in the refrigerator, he collects small objects from all over the house. The long, funny list of items includes spools of thread, a chess bishop, jigsaw puzzle pieces, marbles, buttons, and much more.
- First half
In what book does a bird jump up onto a barber shop mirror ledge to watch a man being shaved?
✓ Answer
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
To escape a growing crowd on the sidewalk, Mr. Popper ducks into a barbershop with Captain Cook. The penguin immediately hops up on the mirror ledge to get a better view of the barber shaving a gentleman's face.
- Second half
In what book does a man build an ice castle in his cellar for twelve birds?
✓ Answer
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
The freezing plant in the cellar makes very large blocks of ice instead of small cubes. Mr. Popper uses these to build a sort of ice castle for his twelve penguins to live in and climb over.
- Second half
In what book does a bird act replace a missing act called the Marvelous Marcos?
✓ Answer
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
On a Saturday night at the Palace Theater, the Marvelous Marcos fail to show up and the audience demands refunds. Mrs. Popper suggests letting the penguins rehearse on the real stage instead, and the audience loves it.
- Near the end
In what book does a man with trained seals warn that his animals could eat several birds?
✓ Answer
Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
At the wrong theater, the Poppers run into Swen Swenson and his performing seals. Swenson threatens that his seals are tough and would think nothing of eating two or three penguins apiece if the birds try any funny business.
