Amazon Category:  Pets/Pet Care ISBN-10:  1439206910 Type: Non-Fiction Copyright: Jan 16,2008 This is a true to life children’s story about an abandon pig that I adopted from the pound. He narrates his story of how he was a very naughty pig, getting into all kinds of trouble. The other farm animals started to talk some sense into him by telling him to straighten up or he was going to lose his happy home. In a matter of time, he changed his ways. I adopt and rescue all types’ animals and they live their entire life on my Florida ranch. I received a phone call from the administrator of the Humane Society. He told me there was a pig, named Foster that was running out of time; he was going to be euthanized if he did not find a home. That is all I had to hear, the next day Foster was living on my ranch. He was such a naughty pig, getting into everything and causing a lot of trouble. I’m so glad I gave Foster a second chance at life. We learned a lot together about changing our ways. Excerpt In the meantime, let me introduce myself. My name is Foster and I am the most handsome pig in the world, although I do try to be modest. I am a cool pig, too, and quite sophisticated. And you may not know this, but pigs are rated third on the totem pole of intelligence. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean I’m not feeling pretty scared right now under this big oak tree, and darkness is approaching. My momma and siblings are still nowhere to be found. It’s spooky here in the dark, too, but finally I fall asleep. I slept well, nestled in the dirt. The next day, I again begin to search for my family. I know that they miss me and are worried about me. I keep walking; I must have walked ten miles.

Apex Reveiws
Foster is quite the adventurous pig – too adventurous, in fact, for his own
good. While out on a walk one day with his mother, brothers, and sisters, Foster’s
curiosity gets the best of him, and he ends up separated from his brood. After a
lonely night alone in the wild, he resolves the next morning to find and reunite
with his family. He eventually ventures into a nursery, and, after a brief stay, he’s
adopted by a nice woman named Janice, who takes him instantly and carries him
home with her.
Foster spends a few blissful days with Janice – until one night she gets into
an argument with her husband about his rooting habits; he’s highly upset at the
way that Foster has disrupted their yard, and he wants him gone. Sadly, Janice
takes Foster to the Humane Society shelter, where he makes fast friends with the
staff and other animals. However, since no one expresses an interest in adopting
him, he’s scheduled for impending euthanization.
After coming within a hair’s breadth of being put down, though, Foster is
rescued from the shelter by Melanie, who brings him to live with her at the ranch
that she shares with her husband and dozens of other animals that they’ve also
rescued or adopted. Foster fits right in, and he and Melanie form an instant bond –
but his adventurousness soon gets the best of him again, and he finds himself
getting into one shenanigan after another, ultimately taking Melanie and her
husband’s patience to the limit. It then becomes imperative that Foster learn to
change his ways before he wears out his welcome and misses out on the greatest
opportunity he’s ever had.
Engaging and fun, Foster: The Naughty Pig Who Changed His Ways is a
delightful read. In it, Melanie Higgins Zysk presents the adventures – and
misadventures – of an adorable little pig that it’s impossible not to love. Her lively
accounts of his ongoing ventures jump off the page, and it’s also quite surprising
to see just how well a pig can adjust to being a household pet – which is what
one would normally expect from a dog or a cat.
The premise of the story may seem as though it’s aimed at a younger
audience, but Foster is an engrossing tale that readers of all ages are sure to enjoy
– as well as learn quite a bit from in the process. A highly recommended literary
treat.