Look, kids love this book. It went viral for a reason—the wordplay is genuinely fun, the rhythm is infectious, and toddlers through early elementary will giggle their heads off. It's also legitimately good for literacy: rhyme, alliteration, memory, sequencing.
But here's the thing: the entire premise is pointing out everything 'wrong' with the donkey and making it funny. Wonky leg, stinky, lanky, cranky—on and on. Some parents and disability advocates have flagged this as problematic, arguing it models unkind behavior and teaches kids that differences are punchlines. Is it intentionally mean? No. Is it harmless fun? Maybe. Does it depend on your kid and your family's sensitivity to this stuff? Absolutely.
If you're looking for a book with substance, depth, or a meaningful story, this isn't it. It's linguistic cotton candy—delicious in the moment, zero nutritional value beyond the literacy mechanics. But if you want 3 minutes of guaranteed giggles and some solid phonics work, it delivers. Just maybe have a sidebar chat about kindness if your kid starts calling their sibling 'stinky-dinky.'






