Anansi le bohlale

Name: Anansi le bohlale
Availability: InStock
Author: Ghanaian folktale

A free picture book in Sesotho by Ghanaian folktale

Cover of Anansi le bohlale, a Sesotho picture book

Anansi le bohlale is a picture book in Sesotho for ages 5–11 by Ghanaian folktale that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Sesotho
Written by: Ghanaian folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Maria Vaz
Reading level: ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade · Level 3 · First paragraphs
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Anansi le bohlale is a short illustrated picture book in Sesotho by Ghanaian folktale, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Maria Vaz. It is written for ages 5–11 (Grades 2–3) and is graded as Level 3 · First paragraphs, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Sesotho. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 27 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Kgalekgale batho ba ne ba sa tsebe letho. Ba ne ba sa tsebe ho lema, ho loha masela kapa ho etsa disebediswa tsa tshepe. Modingwana Nyame hodimo mahodimong o ne a na le bohlale bohle ba lefatshe, a bo bolokile…

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

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Anansi le bohlale” is also available in:

Reading together in Sesotho

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 Sesotho

See all 125 free Sesotho books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Anansi le bohlale” free to read?

Yes. “Anansi le bohlale” 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 3.0).

What language is “Anansi le bohlale” in?

It is written in Sesotho. Pagine has 125 free children’s books in Sesotho.

What age is “Anansi le bohlale” for?

It is best for ages 5–11 (Level 3 · First paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Anansi le bohlale” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, EkeGusii, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana and more.

Who wrote “Anansi le bohlale”?

“Anansi le bohlale” was written by Ghanaian folktale and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Sesotho translation is by Maria Vaz.

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Credits: Anansi le bohlale — Written by Ghanaian folktale; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Maria Vaz. Sesotho, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1938). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026