Oh my god you guys I loved it so so much. This is one of my new all-time favorites, to be reread at semiregular intervals.
Firstly, it is CUTE AS HELL. But even if 'cute' books aren't what you gravitate toward I implore you to give it a chance because it is, secondly, hilarious. I was laughing out loud like every 35 seconds. I am in awe of Grant's unrelenting cleverness and (thirdly?) imagination, weaving the 'mundane' into something magical. The story centers around a "found family" of sorts, but even though it takes place in what is essentially our normal and modern reality, there is some real world-building going on here.
Finally, it is touching and wholesome in a really authentic way. The family's inside jokes and dynamic brought me straight-up glee. Ultimately the story is about loss and change, but there is a full spectrum of emotion here. I just can't recommend it enough.
Coming from the lab/research field, there were points where I felt like this book was made for me especially (such as the protagonist's 'relationship' with the brain-in-the-jar at her dad's lab). For you I will just say that if you enjoy cute animals (and/or anthropomorphizing) then you might extra-like this book, just like I did.