Akatabo k’obudde

Name: Akatabo k’obudde
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

A free picture book in Luganda by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

Cover of Akatabo k’obudde, a Luganda picture book

Akatabo k’obudde is a picture book in Luganda for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

📖 Read it free →

Language: Luganda
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Uganda
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Akatabo k’obudde is a short illustrated picture book in Luganda by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa. It is written for ages 2–8 (Nursery–Year 1) and is graded as Level 1 · First words, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Luganda. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY-NC 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 37 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Obudde bwa mukalwe. Omusana gwaka nnyo. Obudde bwa kibuyaga. Obudde bwa kidde. Obudde bunnyogovu. Enkuba etonnya. Eggulu libwatuka. Ndaba Musoke. Akatabo k’obudde — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Mwesigwa…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY-NC 3.0).

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Akatabo k’obudde” is also available in:

Reading together in Luganda

Read it aloud first, pointing at the pictures; then let your child “read” the pictures back to you.
Ask open questions: what happened, how did the character feel, what would you do?
Growing up with two languages? Talk about the story in whichever language feels easiest — the understanding carries over.

More free books in Luganda

See all 16 free Luganda books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Akatabo k’obudde” free to read?

Yes. “Akatabo k’obudde” is free to read online in Pagine on any phone, tablet or computer — no payment and nothing to download. It is openly licensed (CC BY-NC 3.0).

What language is “Akatabo k’obudde” in?

It is written in Luganda. Pagine has 16 free children’s books in Luganda.

What age is “Akatabo k’obudde” for?

It is best for ages 2–8 (Level 1 · First words). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Akatabo k’obudde” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Yoruba, Kiswahili, Kikuyu, Kimaasai, Turkana and more.

Who wrote “Akatabo k’obudde”?

“Akatabo k’obudde” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; the Luganda translation is by Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa.

Scan to get the free Pagine reading tracker app

Track reading with the free Pagine app

Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.

Get the free app →

Credits: Akatabo k’obudde — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Mwesigwa Joshua Waswa. Luganda, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1861). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026