He is if he’s got a backpack, of course. There are other things you can do to help him out, too—introduce him and his adorable furry face to your friends, guide him to the best playground games (“Your buffalo is the very best hiding spot ever”) and always remind him that “Everyone’s special in his or her own way” (maybe he can’t use scissors, but he is the state animal of Oklahoma). To this tongue-in-cheek direct-address text, Jennewein matches clean, cartoon compositions. His smudgy pencil outlines soften the flat colors and make plenty of hay with the buffalo’s outsized bulk. The giant ruminant’s goofy grin matches that of his redheaded owner’s and heightens the ridiculousness of the scenario. As an embodiment of school anxiety, this buffalo leads the herd—plus, he’s got a hump. (Picture book. 4-8)
