The True Story of Nickel, The Baby Buffalo Who Thought He Was a Dog

For many years a lone hornless buffalo greeted travelers heading west into the foothills of the Rockies. Nickel the Baby Buffalo Who Thought He Was a Dog tells the true story of how he came to be known by people all over the world as the friendly bison.

Orphaned at birth, raised by a caretaker and his family, Nickel grew up with the pet dogs. His boisterous antics in the yard-and in the house-are sure to provoke giggles and grins. Nickel's affection for people and his ability to open gates lead him to a Native American sweat lodge (where he is nicknamed 'Big Medicine'), on a trot alongside unsuspecting hikers, and to a fishing pond where he sneaks off with a fly rod and tackle box. Readers learn how Nickel got his name and how he lost his horns. Kids and grandparents alike will delight in the vivid watercolor illustrations based on actual photographs. Discerning eyes can hunt for the 37 squirrels hidden throughout the book.

Web explorers can download a map to Nickel's herd, a coloring contest, and Bison Bits, a multiple-choice discovery of buffalo facts. The colorful website is fun and teaches children about the importance of wildlife.

Nickel is a family book written for a 3rd to 4th grade reading level. It's a sit-around-the- fire kind of story that offers a small glimpse of the Old West and an enlarged appreciation of the American bison.

A nickel from the sale of each book is donated toward the humane treatment of animals.

Nancy Savage is vice-president of Talking Book Publishers and a former newspaper reporter. This is her first collaboration with her sister, Kathy Parks. Kathy works out of her art studio in Coronado, CA, where she loves drawing for children. She attended the Art Center School of Design in LA. Her illustrations appear in numerous educational and picture books world-wide in over 12 languages.