Three children and a puppy traverse 19th-century America in this wholesome family film – which is especially admirable for its representation of disability

This is the family-friendly animated story of Tom and Mary, a pair of parentless 19th-century mites making the journey from Ireland to California in search of their uncle, who they hope will adopt them. Along the way they fall in with a tiny puppy and a boy named Nick who uses a wheelchair, and this gang proceed to have various wholesome adventures before the happy ending, which ties everything up neatly at the hour and a half mark.

Some family films – while not reaching the god-tier of Wallace and Gromit or Paddington – are perfectly decent entertainments for their intended audience, no more no less. It is into this category that we can slot Buffalo Kids. It’s amiable and rattles along nicely enough without ever really surprising anyone.