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Hug a Bull: An Ode to Animal Dads
Take a look, my dad's a Gander.
Take a nap, our dads are Boars.
From baby geese to kangaroos to humans, every mom and dad is known by his or her own special name. Bouncing texts full of fun wordplay and adorable illustrations feature animal parents of every shape and size, and encourage little readers to express big love. Go ahead and hug a bull!
Take a nap, our dads are Boars.
From baby geese to kangaroos to humans, every mom and dad is known by his or her own special name. Bouncing texts full of fun wordplay and adorable illustrations feature animal parents of every shape and size, and encourage little readers to express big love. Go ahead and hug a bull!
22 pages, Board Book
First published April 2, 2013
About the author
Aaron Zenz
38 books61 followersAaron Zenz is the author and illustrator of The Hiccupotamus. He is the illustrator of 9 additional children's books as well.
Aaron lives in West Michigan. In addition to writing and illustrating, he also frequently visits schools and libraries where he inspires kids to read and write through fun, interactive programs."
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 26, 2025
Very similar to its companion book, I Love Ewe: An Ode to Animal Moms, and a lot of my comments hold the same for both.
While not a specifically "Valentine's" book, this is a good one (2+ to 3 stars) for a Valentine storytime. Kids aren't giving Valentines to sweethearts, after all, but usually to family and friends. Could be a good one for a Father's Day too. With new terms for male animals, there's the risk that it could be a little confusing for the younger crowd (learning that a bull might not be a bull, but a bull elephant?). But with a little story reader interpretation, it was still a good read. Plus, any book where the kids get to make animal noises is a good read (i.e. "how would the daddy donkey say 'I love you'?").
While not a specifically "Valentine's" book, this is a good one (2+ to 3 stars) for a Valentine storytime. Kids aren't giving Valentines to sweethearts, after all, but usually to family and friends. Could be a good one for a Father's Day too. With new terms for male animals, there's the risk that it could be a little confusing for the younger crowd (learning that a bull might not be a bull, but a bull elephant?). But with a little story reader interpretation, it was still a good read. Plus, any book where the kids get to make animal noises is a good read (i.e. "how would the daddy donkey say 'I love you'?").
September 9, 2018
This picture book focuses on animals and what their dad's names are. This is a good story to introduce that not all dads are names are the same especially animal dads. You can also introduce that even animals have dads. I also think the pictures in the story make it easier for the children to understand the story.
May 24, 2017
Great book! Highly recommend this, and the 2 companion books (Chuckling Ducklings and I Love Ewe). Heard about this book years ago on the NPR radio show "A Way With Words". Did you know what a male hawk was called?? I didn't, until I read this book.
December 9, 2024
Males by species
How interesting the various names of males of different species! Some different, some not! Some similar, some not, who knew and how interesting that all could be! Fun made all the more so by the humor of Aaron Zenz!!
How interesting the various names of males of different species! Some different, some not! Some similar, some not, who knew and how interesting that all could be! Fun made all the more so by the humor of Aaron Zenz!!
February 16, 2018
Cute illustrations of animals and text that takes you through the names for various animal dads.
March 12, 2022
Super cute book
April 4, 2022
super cute and sweet illustrations, a great book for father's day
December 11, 2025
Checked out from Baraboo Public Library 📚 in Wisconsin (unique concept, educational)
May 8, 2013
My favorite illustrator did not fail me. I would frame his art all over my children's rooms and playroom. The writing was not what I expected. I may change my rating after rereading it a few times. (And then back again after reading it over and over and over and over to my children. Just kidding.)
Update - My children and preschoolers are big fans. They sit and look at the illustrations asking about the names and such. My rating did go up because the target audience LOVES this beautiful book. We read it a couple of times a day.
Update - My children and preschoolers are big fans. They sit and look at the illustrations asking about the names and such. My rating did go up because the target audience LOVES this beautiful book. We read it a couple of times a day.
July 1, 2017
The title is as catchy as the rest of the book and I am certain children will enjoy reading the book even if they don't get all the puns or jokes found within.
The writing is simple and fun to read. The author uses puns, rhyme or the chance for children to relate to normal events to get the point across. And there is one interactive question relating to their own dads to answer.
Finally the pictures are adorable and bright while at the same time fun. Children will love matching the animal baby to the adult animal as they read.
The writing is simple and fun to read. The author uses puns, rhyme or the chance for children to relate to normal events to get the point across. And there is one interactive question relating to their own dads to answer.
Finally the pictures are adorable and bright while at the same time fun. Children will love matching the animal baby to the adult animal as they read.
June 8, 2013
Although would be a great book for Father's Day or to a dad to read to his little one, I like for it for other reasons. The books goes through the different names of animal parents or "dads." I like the idea of using it in my social skills group to explain that some words have multiple meanings. It's also a great way to increase vocabulary.
May 5, 2013
Adore-a-Bull story that children will enjoy reading especially with dad (Father's Day gift from younger ones??). Illustrations are simple as is the text. The last page shows all the animals with their names and what the male is called.
May 30, 2013
What an adora"bull" little book! Not only does it show some dad-love (and in my oppinion dads always get shafted in kids books!) but it also teaches kids a lot of cool vacabulary words! Even I learned something!
May 31, 2013
From baby geese to kangaroos to humans, every mom and dad is known by his or her own special name. Bouncing texts full of fun wordplay and adorable illustrations feature animal parents of every shape and size, and encourage little readers to express big love. Go ahead and hug a bull!"--
April 30, 2013
Our Milo says, "the best book we've read tonight!" Mr Bookie Woogie does not disappoint in this clever and vocabulary building book about animal dads.
May 7, 2013
What a fun book. I might have to recommend it for a father's day read with little ones. :)
June 9, 2013
Cute. Well paced great read aloud to celebrate Father's Day and to teach what the males of each species is called.
August 27, 2013
Very cute (and informational!). I love Aaron Zenz's illustrations, and he's very clever with incorporating the animals' names into the text.
May 24, 2015
cute way to teach kids about the names of male animals. Each one is put into a "wordplay" sentence that captures what the animal does. Illustrations are pretty bland.
September 21, 2016
Beautiful pictures. And I like learning what the male of some animals species are called.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews