Wonky Donkey

The Wonky Donkey is a children's book, and song written by New Zealander Craig Smith and illustrated by Katz Cowley.[1] The book is based upon a song that Smith wrote in 2005 after hearing the joke "What do you call a donkey with three legs? - A wonky donkey".[2] The song was later turned into the 2010 book.[3] In 2018, the book was featured in a viral video of a grandmother laughing hysterically as she attempted to read it to her grandchild, leading to a surge in purchases of the book worldwide.[4]

The Wonky Donkey
AuthorCraig Smith
IllustratorKatz Cowley
LanguageEnglish
Published2009, Scholastic New Zealand Ltd
Media typeprint
Pages24
AwardsChildren's Choice
ISBN9781869439262

Awards

Controversy

In 2010 a school teacher alleged that Smith had heavily based the book on several internet jokes and did not reference this in the work in question.[7] Smith and his publisher responded by stating that the song predated the specific versions that the educator had seen on the internet and that it was possible that these versions had emerged because of his success with the song and resulting book.[8]

References

  1. "Wonky Donkey goes Braille". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  2. "Children lap up Wonky Donkey show". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  3. Ewing, Isobel. "Wonky Donkey author launches new book". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  4. "The Wonky Donkey: viral video of grandmother makes picture book a bestseller". Alison Flood. The Guardian. 10 September 2018.
  5. "New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults Winners 2010". www.booksellers.co.nz. Booksellers New Zealand. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  6. "Children's Music Awards". Australasian Performing Right Association. 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  7. "No hanky-panky: 'Wonky, Donkey' man". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  8. "Copyright Is Not for Jokes, Says Top Author". New Zealand Herald. May 29, 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
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