Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?

by Audrey Vernick, Daniel Jennewein (Illustrator)

Although kindergarten provides unique challenges for a young buffalo, one who follows the rules and tries his best will get along fine.

Genres: Picture Books, School, Humor, Childrens, Fiction, Animals, Back To School

32 pages, Library Binding

First published June 22, 2010

About the author

Audrey Vernick is the author of books for young readers.

Forthcoming titles:

When I Redraw the World, illustrated by Heather Fox

Homesick, written with Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Daniel Miyares


www.audreyvernick.com

Reviews

[حسناء · Rating 4 out of 5]

it made smile

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your buffalo has a backpack, then he is certainly ready for Kindergarten! This book takes a silly look at first-day Kindergarten jitters through the eyes of a student who is sure to be unique. Buffalos may have trouble with certain rules, like No Grazing at recess, but your buffalo will also be great at hide-and-seek and serve as a comfy place to snuggle in to listen to stories. He will also learn about sharing with others and not losing his temper and butting them with his head. There’s a lot to learn in Kindergarten, especially if you are a buffalo!

This is a hilarious look at Kindergarten that is sure to have children giggling. Ideal to share with Kindergarteners on that first day, or with your preschooler who is headed to Kindergarten. Vernick has written the book with an eye towards laughter, but also shows the daily routines of Kindergarten and the various issues that can arise. It is a very balanced look at Kindergarten done with a lot of humor. Jennewein’s illustrations are comic and wonderful. He captures the pure silliness of the huge buffalo at school using simple lines and nice strong colors. The illustrations will work well with a group.

Highly recommended for all Kindergarteners and their parents, this is a great book to read in August to get your buffalo ready for school. Appropriate for ages 4-6.

[Kathy (Bermudaonion) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know a little one getting ready to start school, you definitely need to check out Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick. This adorable book explores some of the fears a youngster might face before beginning school and lets them know that it’s not always easy to start something new.

This picture book shows pre-schoolers that they don’t need to know how to do everything before they start school, because they’re going to school to learn new skills and improve some others. They’ll also see that it’s okay to get messy or frustrated. The best part of the book, though, is that it tells pre-schoolers that “everyone’s special in his or her own way.”

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? has delightful illustrations by Daniel Jennewein. The buffalo is as cute as he can be and I’m happy to see the students in the book are diverse. I love flipping through this book just to look at the wonderful pictures!

I recommend Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? as a gift or an addition to your own pre-schooler’s library.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope they make toys out of the buffalo. He is stinking cute.

[Jessie Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! Sure to get laughs from kids and a great readaloud for nervous soon-to-be-kindergartners (soon to be at the library in droves).

[RG]

Perfect for visiting Kindergarten classes!

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a hoot, and the simple illustrations added to the humor and warmth of "Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?" A giant, warm cuddly buffalo has his first day of kindergarten, and like any student, he has his concerns: being shy, handling scissors, and playing outdoors. But this intrepid buffalo does manage to have fun and enjoy being with his classmates, partaking in recess, snack, and a rousing session of art, taking finger paints to new heights.

This will be a pleasure to read to new kindergarten students who need a little humor to diffuse a sometimes tense first day. Recommended for ages five and up.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was already thinking that this book was pretty darn cute, but One particular line easily pushed it from three stars to four:

"Your buffalo is probably looking forward to sharing treats with a classmate. But he may be the only one who eats grass, then throws it up in his mouth and eats it again. Remember: Everyone's special in his or her own way."

Amazing.

Read again in 2025 to my baby, who is starting kindergarten in two weeks! <3 We loved it.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rollicking, funny, adorable, awesome. Text speaks directly to the reader about "your " buffalo. Like give a mouse a cookie but with it's own unique voice. The story uses examples of situations readers might experience in Kindergarten, and then throws them for a loop with something completely quirky. So well-written and fresh. Rhythmic, but not sing-song. Lively variety in the structure. I love the page where author says "just kidding," but of course, she adds something even more wacky, so she really is kidding. If this review is incoherent, it's because the quality of this book has left me speechless. Highly recommended.

[Natalie Lorenzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former Kindergarten teacher, I would have loved to have shared this book with my students. Vernik's humor and direct style combined wtih Jennewein's friendly illustrations are sure to ease first-day Kindergarten jitters.

[W.H. Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your buffalo is growing up. He plays with friends. He shares his toys. He's smart! But is he ready for kindergarten? (And is kindergarten ready for him?)

(adapted from goodreads.com)

(32 pages)

[Mandy]

THIS book is fascinating & helpful.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does your buffalo have a backpack? Well then, he's ready! Adorable illustrations and a reassuring message.

[Mary Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

DARLING! The writing is clever and engaging and the illustrations are hilarious. A must have!

[Joey Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is awesome! A fun, silly spin on the traditional first-day-of-school book. Also, it made me wish I was a buffalo.

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just the thing I was looking for! A fun and slightly silly story that unobtrusively deals with fears and concerns a child may have in beginning Kindergarten. But it puts the focus on a buffalo rather than the child which is not as didactic and just makes the reading fun. I enjoyed reading this with my stepdaughter. She smiled at all the right parts, too. :-)

May even try this in a preschool storytime.

[Well-Read Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was almost impressed with this book. From the cover art and title I guess I expected more.

It's true its a silly book and maybe I was just more biased toward it because I expected for my child to learn something more about going to kindergarten.

Sharing and caring seems to be the obvious lessons and the overall message is clear, positive, lovely and very very cheesy; everyone is special in his or her own way!


https://wellreadmama.com/kindergarten...

[raccoon reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super silly and funny picture book about a Buffalo who goes to kindergarten. If your child is having some difficulty transitioning back to school after summer or a long break, books like this will normalize it and help him realize what a funny silly place kindergarten can be for everyone. Buffalos included.

[Athena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun-loving book. The read is about exactly what the title says. It goes through everything that could possibly occur if a buffalo went to school. It is very cute & will help a child who is nervous about starting grade school.

[Cameron Lazenberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean, it was a fun read. It's well done just underwhelming in that I've read similar books, the animal being an allegory for a new student to kindergarten, giving you some generalize nugget: namely that every one is special in their own way. Fine book.

[Abbigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book about taking a buffalo to kindergarten. You get to learn a little bit about bison along the way, but nothing too crazy beyond them eating grass. This book would be good for kids who like Elise Parsley's picture books.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have a buffalo this is a good book to read to be sure your buffalo is ready for kindergarten. Cute story and illustrations.

[Gretchen Oates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute way to share the rules for kindergarten. Plus the buffalo is adorable.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

HILARIOUS! Seriously. I could read this one over and over. Now, my buffalo is ready for the 1st grade!

[Lake Shore Library]

I wanted to like this more but just thought it was a bit wordy and not very well written.

[Maria Waltner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pretty cute. Kids will enjoy the whimsy of having a giant furry buffalo in a classroom.

[Amy Seto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although some people think that kindergarten isn’t a place for a buffalo, the little girl in this book knows otherwise. Her buffalo has a backpack, which means he’s definitely ready for kindergarten. He may be shy in his new environment because no on else has a hump or horns or a mane, but he’ll learn that everyone is special in his or her own way. The girl goes on to identify many possible concerns you might have for your buffalo, such as using scissors, learning to cooperate and take turns, even when someone calls him a Fluppalo, and helping your buffalo look his best on picture day. Although he might have been shy to start off with, your buffalo will learn to love kindergarten. In fact, he may not want to leave at all!

The humorous tone of the text makes this book a fun one to read out loud. There are plenty of rhetorical questions that kids will find hilarious. The illustrations feature slightly exaggerated characters and a buffalo with the most endearing smile I’ve ever seen. I’m guessing the illustrations were done digitally, but all the lines have a crayon texture to them, which is appropriate to the kindergarten setting.

Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'd think given the fact that I teach sixth grade that this book would be completely off my radar. What, after all, do sixth graders care about being ready for kindergarten? Frankly, the subject is of little importance to them. A funny story is a funny story. And to twelve-year-olds, this book was hilarious. In fact, they were laughing before I even started reading. One look at the cover and I had a group of boys who just started laughing until there were tears in their eyes.

As I read this book through the first time, I couldn't help but have a soundtrack playing in my head as the story unfolded. I realized that when I read the book to my class that I would play "Dance of the Hours" in the background. I highly encourage you to do the same. It makes a hilarious book even more hilarious.

So the story was hilarious, the illustrations were endearing, and I had a group of laughing, smiling sixth graders who begged me to read it to them again. So you see, don't let the title fool you into thinking this book is just for little kids. Big kids like it too.

[Rosita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why the teacher ask the buffalo for a backpack when he enter the Kindergarten class. This is a funny book to be used for first-day in Kindergarten. The students can accept buffalo to be part of their class room. Buffalo don't know how to follow rules especially when he went to recess. The children were so excited when the buffalo played hide and seek and learn about sharing with others. There is a lot to learn in Kindergarten especially if you a huge buffalo. There was a lot of humor in the story. The illustration is wonderful it captive the children eyes to finding out what the buffalo is going to do.
Highly recommended for all Kindergarteners and their parents, this is a great book to read in August to get your buffalo ready for school. Good book to read at ages 4-6.

Learning Experience: The teacher will have dye-cuts of animals and provide a collection of coins to show the children that buffalo are shown on a nickel. The teacher will be give a print out of 12 states with the matching animals on the coin.

[Sweet on Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Some people say kindergarten is no place for a buffalo. How crazy is that?"

So begins this entertaining story about how we all have our own special place in this world - horn or no horns. How great is that message? The brilliance of this picture book is that it is a hilarious and appropriate lesson in identity without being preachy. Children will delight in all the paces this buffalo is put through as a new kindergartener. Will your buffalo be able to use scissors? Will your buffalo be able to go on the swings? Maybe - maybe not. But no matter what, "Everyone is special in his or her own way."

This is a perfect story for the first day, but don't leave it for only that day. This book can be enjoyed any time of year for pure pleasure or if your classroom or home community is in need of a little lesson in tolerance.