Hilarious Viral Video Of Grandma Reading Children's Book Sends Sales Skyrocketing

A recent video of a Scottish granny laughing her way through the New Zealand children's book The Wonky Donkey has sent parents all over the world scrambling to book stores to pick up a copy.

Grandmother Janice Clark begins reading the book to her grandson, but has more and more difficulty as she laughs harder and harder at the story:

The book was written by New Zealander Craig Smith, who also wrote a song of the same name. The book tells the tale of a three-legged ("wonky") donkey who is given a new adjective on every page until, eventually, it has become a "spunky, hanky-panky cranky stinky dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey."

As the donkey becomes stranger and stranger, Clark can't control her delight:

Oh dear, how can anybody read this seriously? This is going to kill me.

Smith told The Guardian that the book's demand has skyrocketed since the Scottish granny's video has gone viral, commenting that his publisher is "rushing to print another 50,000 copies, with a view for more." Amazon has sold out of the book in both the U.S. and UK.

The book, illustrated by Katz Cowley, had previously sold around a million copies worldwide, but most sales occurred in Australia and New Zealand, where the children's book is well-known.

Smith hopes this video will help the story spread to other countries in an even bigger way:

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 US, but that looks like that's about to change.

Cowley, the illustrator, has commented:

I am so glad that Wonky's reputation has finally come to bite him on the bum on this side of the world thanks to 'Wonky's Guardian Granny'. I couldn't be more delighted...[Clark is] a reminder in life, when all else fails, to fall about laughing. She has a spirit like Wonky's.

Emma Layfield, the group picture book director at Hachette, The Wonky Donkey's UK publisher, notes the book is receiving a noticeable bump in sales, "especially in Scotland."

It's delightful to see the infectious appeal of Wonky Donkey spread around the globe. The video is a fantastic demonstration that the best picture books entertain the whole family, not just the kids.

Twitter believes the book's growing international fame is well-deserved!

Consider us Wonky-fans. HEE-HAW!

H/T - The Guardian, Newshub