Happily Ever Esther

By: Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter, Caprice Crane

Narrated by: Steve Jenkins

Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter had their lives turned upside down when they adopted their pig-daughter Esther - the so-called micro pig who turned out to be a full-sized commercial pig growing to a whopping 600 pounds - as they describe in their best-selling memoir Esther the Wonder Pig. The book ends with them moving to a new farm and starting a new wonderful life where they will live on the Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary to care for other animals and just live happily ever after.... Or so they thought.

People often think about giving it all up and just moving to a farm. In theory, it sure does sound great. But as Derek and Steve quickly realized, the realities of being a farmer - especially when you have never lived on a farm let alone outside of the city - can be frantic, crazy, and even insane. Not only are they adjusting to farm life and dutifully taking care of their pig-daughter Esther (who by the way lives in the master bedroom of their house), but before they knew it their sanctuary grew to as many as 42 animals, including: pigs, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, cows, roosters, a peacock, a duck, a horse, a donkey, and a barn cat named Willma Ferrell.

Told with joy and humor and filled with delicious Esther-approved recipes dispersed throughout the book, this charming memoir captures an emotional journey of one little family advocating for animals everywhere.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2018 Steve Jenkins, Derek Walter, Caprice Crane (P)2018 Hachette Audio

Loved this book

Love Esther and what Steve and Derek have done with letting more people know about pigs and about their sanctuary.

i loved this book

Sweet quirky stories with a heart. I learned a lot and felt included rather than judged.

Amazing!

Steve and Derek, thank you for sharing your lives and kind souls with the world. I stopped eating pork over a year ago, and am now giving up beef because of your beautiful Esther. I will be sharing your story, Esther’s videos, and the video of your farm with my kindergarten students to help them continue to grow in the knowledge that kindness is best for everyone, people and animals alike. So many thanks to you both, and kisses and hugs to sweet Esther.

Nancy Wilson

Esther Approved Book

What a wonderful book. Incredibly well written and read. Good job, Dads. Looking forward to the next one.

Inspiring

After following Esther on Facebook and reading Esther the Wonder Pig, I was anxious to hear more about her amazing story. This book illuminates some of the trials and tribulations with running a sanctuary but emphasizes Steve and Derek's determination in making it successful. I loved this book.

inspiring

loved listening to real experiences narrated by someome who lived it. heartwarming, eye opening and be kind to everyone message - timeless.

Sequel to Esther the wonder pig

I think of you already know Steve, Derek and Esther from their social media platforms, you will like this book. I do follow Esther, so I found it an enjoyable addition to what I see on Facebook. If you are not a fan, I don’t think this book is for you. At minimum, you need to read Esther the Wonder Pig and decide if you want to continue. That is the place to start.
Otherwise, it is the tale of two city guys who decide to jump in and run an animal sanctuary named for their pig Esther. At least they are honest that this is a really bad idea if you have no farm experience, as is owning a pig in the first place. Some of the things that are “problems” to them will be laughable to readers depending on life experience, like how difficult it is to manage a woodpile and wood stove or how difficult it is to maintain fences. Other people might find this very informative.
I’m surprised at how many negative things made it into the book from in law problems, to a volunteer who stole their cat, to a volunteer they had to fire due to being too extreme. I’m sure these people aren’t too happy about the way they were portrayed and I’m not sure what the repercussions of that will be. The book ends with coverage of the Esther cruise fundraiser on a Carnival cruise ship, ignoring any ethical problems with the cruise industry.
So a mixed bag here, a fun story about a pig everyone loves, a lot of farm problems, and the airing of personal conflicts. If you love Esther, go for it. If you don’t know anything about it, read the other book first.

Superb!!!

A love story that makes you both laugh and cry. Esther is truly lovely and amazing. Dad's are the best!!

Eye opening

Honestly? I didn’t order this book. A friend who owns a pig pet shared it with me. I learned a lot! I understand my vegan granddaughter much better. It was entertaining, comical at times, and drives home a message we all need to hear. Am I going to become vegan? Probably not, but I better understand and respect that choice. Always an animal lover, it’s food for thought. No pun intended...

What a charming book!

I was delighted to read the latest book by Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter, founders of Happily Ever Esther Farm Sanctuary and dads to the world-famous Esther the Wonder Pig. ;) If you're new to Esther and her dads, I would recommend starting with the first book ( Esther the Wonder Pig), as it explains how Steve and Derek ended up with a 650-pound house pig and describes the beginning of the journey that led them to where they are today. However, if you would rather skip the backstory and jump into the tale of the sanctuary, I still think you'll enjoy this book immensely!

In this book, Jenkins and Walter chronicle the immense hurdles that they--two city boys--overcame in order to open a sanctuary filled with rescued farm animals. As you can imagine, it was not always smooth sailing; some parts (such as the cows on a neighbor's tennis court) had me laughing out loud!

If you're an animal lover and want a heartwarming read (narrated flawlessly by dad Steve Jenkins), then check out this book. Also, be sure to check your Audible library for the accompanying PDF as it contains some delicious Esther-approved recipes.