Esther the Wonder Pig: Changing the World One Heart at a Time

Bought used - it was in excellent condition. Read the whole thing, no marks or defects to pages. What a wonderful story! I can totally relate to the unapologetic thrill of bringing home a new pet all the while conjuring up a story to justify it to a significant other! I'm already vegan, but this is just one of many life-changing stories that needs to be told to the world in hopes it will impact someone elses life for the better. Really heartfelt, and relatable way to tell a story of 2 everyday people and their mini-pig revolution.

Bought as a gift and since she was a pig lover, she loved it!!

My one way relationship with Esther and her dads actually started right where this book ended. I say one way relationship because neither dad have any idea who I am, but I feel like I know them. Anyone who follows Esther's Facebook page will most likely feel the same way. They constantly open up home via pictures, video, and for the lucky ones, the volunteer days at the Sanctuary. They share their triumphs and struggles with the thousands of people who have come to love and care about their entire family, no matter what species they might be. Through Facebook we are given an insight to Esther's mind (just a hint, she likes cupcakes... A LOT.) Steve and Derek center their posts around Esther and the other animals they have rescued, keeping the spotlight off of them. Rightfully so, because we all know whose name is on the sign. This book gave all of their fans an opportunity to get to know the dads a little better and to understand how they went from being a realtor and magician to operating their own farm and the decisions that went into making such a huge adjustment.It will make you think about why some animals are pets and some become dinner, however this is accomplished not by insulting you for choices or telling horrific stories about what goes on before your food makes it to the grocery store. They slowly guide you to this realization by making you see that Esther really isn't all that different then the family dog that is constantly looking for new ways to get at the box of dog treats you think you have hidden. This book is a story about a not-so-mini mini pig, yes, but it is so much more. It is a story about the bond that exists between humans and their pets, and how that bond isn't, and shouldn't be, limited to cats and dogs. This tells the story of a human relationship between two individuals who had to uproot their entire life in order to save the life of one pig. (Of course, many, many animals would also be saved in the process, but that is a different book.) There are not enough stars in the sky to give this book the rating it deserves. In a time where it seems like everyone has lost their minds and everywhere you look you can find another example of hate and ugliness, this is a story that gives you hope. It is a story that reminds you that there is still good in the world and people who act selflessly in order to make life better for others, no matter how uncomfortable their life may be for a while. From fighting to hold back tears to laughing out loud, this short story will give you feelings you didn't think were possible from a book about a mini-pig and leave you feeling warm and fuzzy when you close it.Now.. we just need a part two.

I preordered this in January and it arrived today, the day the book was released. I've followed Esther on FB for so long, that Steve and Derek feel like friends that I wave to everyday as I leave the house. Even tossed a few dollars into the fund to help buy the sanctuary, holding my breath, watching the fund grow higher each day. It's been a wild ride, and certainly a unique story that no one else can tell. Others may own a pig, but that pig isn't going to become a worldwide sensation, get people to donate huge funds for a sanctuary, and turn people into vegans. There's magic at work here. Enter Esther, the girl who made Steve, Derek, and herself a household name. The book is funny, endearing, thought provoking, and reminds us that there are many other animals that are just as loving and intelligent as our current domesticated pets, and that they don't deserve the treatment or fate they receive in this world. You may not go completely vegan after reading the book, but most everything about Esther's story will at least give you pause, a reason to consider things that you didn't think about before. Oddly enough, it was yet another person trying to take advantage of an animal that brought Esther into Steve and Derek's life: a person trying to make a quick buck by selling baby commercial pigs, passing them off as "mini pigs". Fate stepped in, Esther was spared a horrific and short life before becoming a package of bacon, and instead became a social media personality that has followers around the globe. No one saw that coming! It helps that her dads have so much personality, and can capture Esther's thoughts and expressions in photos and then write hilarious captions from Esther's point of view. This book is a quick read, very entertaining, and will hopefully make each person ask themselves, "What can I do to make this world one notch better while I'm here? Even if my actions cannot fix the whole problem, what is my personal decision about partaking in this issue? Am I humane, as well as human?" Steve, Derek, and Esther have unknowingly immortalized their legacy; their names, this story, and the current animal sanctuary they run will be remembered and loved forever. Do two things different today: donate five dollars to an animal sanctuary, and set a goal to give up eating animal meat three days a week. Your heart, soul, and health will thank you. And, you may find yourself becoming a member of Esther's Army. It feels good to partake in something so positive. Esther's followers are now a massive, global family. Take the first step and come join us. No pressure to change; however, Esther might make you see the world differently, without using any words. Yes, you can indeed be both humane and human. Esther and the boys are blazing the trail to prove that very fact. Great work, guys! You have indeed changed the world for the better.

I'm probably the only person to have recently discovered Esther through finding out about this book, rather than having already heard of her through her wildly successful social media presence. Esther The Wonder Pig is February's Vegan Book Club (on Goodreads) choice and we're reading the book together as a group all through the month. Please do feel welcome to join us!I was very entertained by Steve's story of being suckered into adopting Esther, and the changes she wrought on his and Derek's lives. The book is written in an engaging style and I appreciated that, while Steve and Derek were obviously thrown into a situation where they had to learn fast as they went along, they don't overplay their early ineptitude. I was reminded of Tony Hawks pig-carrying shenanigans in his memoir, Once Upon a Time in the West ... Country, in the way Esther's personality and mischievous antics swiftly take centre stage. Pigs are easily as intelligent as dogs and it's essentially just a quirk of human history that determined which species Europeans would choose to eat and which to take walkies. As Steve relates, Esther also enjoys her walks and shares many instinctive behaviours with their pet dogs.If I wasn't already vegan, Esther The Wonder Pig could well have started to change my mind about dismissing pigs as simply dumb farmed food animals. They're obviously not and the authors soon make this connection themselves, eventually becoming full vegans and animal advocates. I liked their positive attitude towards promoting veganism. It's a perspective I share and I hope Esther's life opens many more people's eyes. The recipes at the end were an unexpected bonus too!

Before I read this book, I was already a vegan and already followed Esther on Social Networks. But I read it anyway because I wanted to know more about this incredible family. After all, we all watch shows about families, right?I expected to smile, laugh, be touched, relate, being an animal lover myself and having considered adopting a pig a few years ago.What I did not expect is to have my soul absorbed, my very being out in the open, it is a hard feeling to explain. Esther's dad's love is so pure, so powerful it almost hurt... because it speaks to you. And it's not just about Esther, but the whole family. No one has ever been able to express the type of unconditional love we all feel, at least I hope we all feel it, in such a way.I want to thank you for making me laugh, smile, cry, but above all, for making me feel like I'm not alone in the world, that the world is full of hope because there are people (families actually, because I obviously include the pets) like you. Everybody must read this book, and if you have the chance, have it translated so your message can reach the whole world, saving it, one oink at the time.

Difficult to remain unmoved by this book or to not love the three protagonists, even for an old cynical like me. It's the charming story of a couple of animal lovers, who got way more pig than they bargained for, but eventually found a positive outcome for all involved. Very funny in places. Admirably, the vegan message behind it is presented in a sensible, down-to-earth way, never preachy or guilt-tripping.

I am absolutely astounded at the sheer tenacity of Esther's dads in their quest to overcome the many difficulties involved in raising a 'mini-pig' who turns out to weigh over 600lbs. I've been a follower of Esther's Facebook page for quite some time, but even that didn't prepare me for the traumas the Pink Princess put her dads through when she was a slip of a thing (though she can still pull a bit of havoc-making out the bag!). This book was a dream of a read and I'm very much looking forward to the follow-up(s) - hint, hint!

Perfect book. We follow Esther on Facebook too. This book gives the reasons why we need to stop eating animals (following a couples journey to being vegan and live a kind lifestyle) one where we can still be healthy but to remember every being is sentient wanting to be free from suffering and to live a happy life. x