Parents' Guide to Buffalo Kids

Parents need to know that Buffalo Kids is an animated action-adventure set in the late 1800s about two Irish orphans, Tom and Mary (voiced by Conor MacNeill and Alisha Weir), who arrive in the United States to find their uncle. On a cross-country train, they befriend Nick, a non-verbal boy who uses a wheelchair and has limited mobility. Some characters judge Nick solely by his disability, but others include him in activities and adventures, and the film treats Nick with compassion rather than pity, offering positive disability representation. It also features respectful depictions of Cheyenne people and an Irish immigrant community. But there is peril and violence, too. Armed bandits rob the train and force kidnapped passengers to work in a gold mine. Children are attacked by coyotes, and a character tries to whip a child but is punched. People are hit with handgun butts, kicked in the face, and struck with shovels and buckets; a mine is rigged with dynamite; and a wheelchair user falls from their chair. Young teens develop shy crushes, and an adult relationship begins to form. Language includes infrequent use of "damn," "damned little brat," and "moron." Characters demonstrate teamwork, perseverance, courage, communication skills, and compassion throughout this positive, inclusive adventure.

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