Mr. Popper was always thinking about faraway

countries. He especially longed to see the ice and snow

at the North and South Poles.

After a long day of painting houses, Mr. Popper

would spend a restful night studying and dreaming

about the distant places that he found in his books. He

often read about the South Pole and the strange little

penguins who lived there. He couldn t get these odd "

creatures out of his mind. so he wrote a letter to Admiral

Drake, an explorer at the South Pole. Mr. Popper

told him how the funny little birds interested him.

Admiral Drake was so delighted with the letter that

he sent Mr. Popper a surprise in the mail. The surprise

was Captain Cook, a most distinguished-looking penguin

Mrs. Popper and the Popper children, Janie and Bill.

happily welcomed Captain Cook into the family. The

feathered visitor promptly took up residence in the

family s refrigerator.

One day, as Mr. Popper and Captain Cook were

taking a walk. a reporter and a photographer questioned

them and took their pictures.