There's a Pig on the Sofa!

'Cal and I have always considered ourselves as "yes people" – what’s the worst that can happen in letting a menagerie take up residence on our cream sofas? But walking through our living room trying to navigate my way around sprawled paws, hooves and claws, I thought maybe we had got a little carried away.'

Abbie and Cal Braley are raising their family on a smallholding in Gloucestershire and doing things a bit differently. With their goats, ducks, sheep, chickens, pigs, horses, dogs and turkeys allowed to roam free in and around the house, and their three lively kids – Buddy, Blossom and Buster – chasing around after them, every day is an unpredictable adventure where chaos reigns supreme.

From Mollie the sheep (who thinks she’s a dog) to Percy the teenage pig; from Bella the escape artist goat to Mac the horse, resigned to a life with a pink mane and pink outfits, courtesy of Blossom, the animals each have personalities all of their own that they aren't afraid to let shine!

In this book, Abbie tells their family story about how, after discovering the high needs of their eldest son Buddy, they needed to change their approach to parenting. Their beloved animals became a therapy and a balm in the hardest moments and taught their family to embrace every opportunity for play and exploration, even if it means a bit of mayhem.

An uplifting tale of how finding more ways to say yes, encouraging children to love the outdoors and doing things unconventionally can make ordinary life feel endlessly fun.