Hello, friends! Our book today is The True Adventures Of Esther The Wonder Pig, written by Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter and Caprice Crane, and illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld, the delightful true story of the porcine social media star.

Esther was rescued by her two dads when she was just a baby, and from the moment she looked at them with THOSE eyes and THAT smile, they knew it was love. Esther’s dads brought her into their small home, already filled with two dogs and two cats but just big enough for the supposed miniature pig as well. But as Esther began to grow, and GROW, her daddies began to wonder if she was really a miniature pig at all! In the meantime, clever and affectionate Esther was spent her time learning, playing, and getting into mischief. Finally, when she reached over 600lbs(!), her dads decided to move the family to the country, where Esther’s family could help even more animals, and Esther would have plenty of room. And while she still got into mischief, her family was happy – because no matter the size or shape, all that you need to make a family is love.

So adorable. Esther is a well-known social media star, and her story translates well to picture book format, making for a fun real-life entry to the “unusual pet” genre. The typical story beats are here – silly, sometimes destructive antics, finding ways to deal with unusual problems, etc – made all the more enjoyable by knowing that the events really occurred. There’s also a nice nod to non-traditional families, wisely kept subtle (as the family in question is largely pets) but still present. Even the fact that Esther has two dads is treated with refreshing normalcy. The illustrations are fantastic, and readers of all ages will fall in love with the bright-eyed characters. The length was great, and JJ adored it, so this one is definitely Baby Bookworm approved!