A crate arrives at Popper's front door, with a gentoo penguin (Captain) inside. Soon, because of confusion with a crew member, five more penguins arrive: (Bitey, Stinky, Lovey, Nimrod, and Loudy). Popper wants to donate all six penguins to a pest control company. But his children, Janie Popper and Billy Popper, think that the penguins are Billy's birthday present. Mr. Popper meets with a zookeeper, Nat Jones, who also wants the penguins. Popper asks him to collect the penguins another time. Jones agrees, but he warns that the conditions in Popper's apartment are not good enough to raise penguins.