Esther the Wonder Pig

Starred review from June 27, 2016
Life partners Jenkins and Walter (assisted by novelist Crane) embark on a heartwarming journey when Jenkins eagerly agrees to adopt a miniature piglet in need of a home. Walter, who resisted the adorable little pig at first, quickly becomes "head over heels for pig, of all things, experiencing all the firsts you have with a new pet." When they notice that Esther is gaining weight and growing at an alarming rate, their greatest fears are confirmed: Esther is a commercial pig, coming in at around 600 pounds upon full adulthood. What follows is a comedy of errors involving house training, broken furniture, ear-splitting squeals, and two men who simply cannot give up their beloved pet pig no matter what. When Walter and Jenkins realize that there are other homeless "Esthers," their beloved pig leads them to a life-changing decision that also saves the lives of numerous abandoned animals. Funny, entertaining, enlightening, and touching, this book about an unknowingly influential little piggy is a good read that also provides an education on the intelligence of pigs and their capacity for giving and receiving affection. Agent: Erica Silverman, Trident Media Group.

April 1, 2016

When realtor Jenkins answers an email from an old school friend about a pig, he has no idea how much life is going to change for him and his magician partner Derek Walter. Esther was supposed to be a minipig. Jenkins was told she would grow to be about 70 pounds and that she had been spayed because females can get aggressive when they go into heat. Unfortunately, his friend had misled the author. This heartwarming story about owning a 600-pound pig, becoming vegan, and opening a farm animal rescue retreat in the country takes readers through Jenkins agreeing to adopt the tiny piglet, without talking to Walter, documenting all of Esther's escapades and illnesses, to finally transporting her to her new pasture and making her an Internet sensation. The authors describe the hazards of raising a pig in a 1,000-square-foot space already occupied by cats and dogs, Esther-proofing the house so she didn't help herself to the contents of the kitchen, bolting her water bowl to the wall, and, of course, housebreaking a pig (no easy task). VERDICT A fun read with an important message about animal cruelty.--Lisa Ennis, Alabama Coll. of Osteopathic Medicine, Dothan

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.