Laughing all the way to the bank
Gran’s hilarious video gives author a huge sales boost
THE tale of the threelegged wonky donkey left one Scottish grandmother in stitches – and made her an internet hit.
Now Craig Smith, the author of the children’s book, is laughing all the way to the bank after demand soared thanks to the YouTube clip.
In the video, 65-year-old Janice Clark can be seen laughing harder and harder as she reads The Wonky Donkey to her four-monthold grandson Archer.
Through fits of giggles Mrs Clark, originally from Ayrshire, says, ‘Oh dear, how can anybody read this seriously?’ and ‘This is going to kill me’ in the clip, which has been viewed 1.7million times.
The book, published nine years ago, is now enjoying a resurgence with a reprint of 60,000 copies already selling out.
New Zealander Mr Smith, 46, is reaping the benefits of the increase in popularity of the children’s tale.
He said: ‘I won’t see the royalties for six months. It might change things when they come through – I might be able to pay my house off.’
But Mr Smith said that while the money from the extra sales will be welcome he was already happy writing and performing, adding: ‘This is what I do for a living.’
Before the YouTube clip became a hit, the writer was managing online orders himself, signing up to ten copies a week.
But he is now being swamped with thousands of requests for signed copies.
He said: ‘I signed 2,300 the first day – that was over an eight-hour period. There was a guy putting them in front of me – that was pretty intense.’
It is estimated that the book has now sold close to 800,000 copies in the US and 50,000 extra copies have been printed in New Zealand.
Mr Smith, who is also a singer and songwriter, said he believes the book appeals to children whether they like music and dancing, being read to or simply enjoy reading it themselves.
The video, which was posted on YouTube in August, has had many comments from viewers thanking Mrs Clark for posting the clip and saying how funny they found it.
One comment said she was ‘the coolest Granny around’ and another said she ‘laughed so hard her stomach hurt’.
The video has also had 9.1million views on the LAD-bible Facebook page.
Mrs Clark has even been described as ‘Wonky’s Guardian Granny’ by the book’s illustrator, Katz Cowley.
Mr Smith said last month: ‘The video is gold.
‘Watching Janice read and laugh was just delightful, and like many, her infectious laugh had me laughing, too.
‘I’ve always wondered why sales had not taken off so much in the UK and United States, but it looks like that’s about to change.’
A spokesman for UK publisher Hachette said that it had already seen a ‘well-deserved jump in demand’ for the book, ‘especially in Scotland’.
‘I might be able to pay my house off’