| Italic Title: | (see above) |
| The Wonky Donkey | |
| Author: | Craig Smith |
| Illustrator: | Katz Cowley |
| Cover Artist: | Cowley |
| Language: | English |
| Genre: | children's books picture books |
| Published: | 2009, Scholastic New Zealand Ltd |
| Media Type: | |
| Pages: | 24 |
| Awards: | Children's Choice |
| Isbn: | 9781869439262 |
The Wonky Donkey is a 2009 children's book by New Zealander Craig Smith.[1] It is illustrated by British-born Katz Cowley, who has a degree in Illustration from the University of Northumbria.[2]
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".[3] [4] In 2018 the book was featured in a viral video of a Scottish grandmother laughing hysterically as she attempted to read it to her grandchild, leading to a surge in purchases of the book worldwide.[5]
In 2010 a schoolteacher alleged that Smith had heavily based the book on several internet jokes and had not referenced this in his work.[8] 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.[9]