The Wonky Donkey

The Wonky Donkey is a delightful children’s picture book written by New Zealand author Craig Smith and illustrated by British-born Katz Cowley. First published in 2009, the story is based on Smith’s award-winning song of the same name, which won the 2008 APRA New Zealand Children’s Song of the Year Award .

The narrative follows a quirky donkey with three legs, one eye, and a penchant for country music, among other amusing characteristics. As the story progresses, each page introduces a new, humorous trait of the donkey, culminating in a playful and memorable description. The book’s cumulative rhyme and rhythmic text make it an engaging read-aloud experience for young children .

Katz Cowley’s illustrations complement the text with vibrant and expressive images that bring the donkey’s antics to life. The book’s humor and charm have made it a favorite among children and parents alike.

In 2018, a video of a Scottish grandmother reading The Wonky Donkey to her grandson went viral, leading to a significant increase in the book’s popularity and sales.

Children will be in fits of laughter with this perfect read-aloud tale of an endearing donkey. By the book’s final page, readers end up with a spunky, hanky-panky, cranky, stinky, dinky, lanky, honky-tonky, winky wonky donkey!