Bambo wamutali kwambili

Name: Bambo wamutali kwambili
Availability: InStock
Author: Cornelius Gulere

A free picture book in Nyanja by Cornelius Gulere

Cover of Bambo wamutali kwambili, a Nyanja picture book

Bambo wamutali kwambili is a picture book in Nyanja for ages 5–8 by Cornelius Gulere that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Nyanja
Written by: Cornelius Gulere
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: David Sani Mwanza
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Bambo wamutali kwambili is a short illustrated picture book in Nyanja by Cornelius Gulere, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by David Sani Mwanza. It is written for ages 5–8 (Grades 1–2) and is graded as Level 2 · First sentences, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Nyanja. 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 35 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Khasu lake linali lalifupi kwambili. Khomo lake linali lalifupi kwambili. Bedi lake linali lalifupi kwambili. Njinga yake inali yaifupi kwambili. Bambo uyu anali wamutali kwambili! Anapanga mpini wa khasu wautali. Anapanga mafelemu a zitseko atali kwambili. Anapanga bedi lalitali kwambili.…

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. “Bambo wamutali kwambili” is also available in:

Reading together in Nyanja

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 Nyanja

See all 105 free Nyanja books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Bambo wamutali kwambili” free to read?

Yes. “Bambo wamutali kwambili” 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 “Bambo wamutali kwambili” in?

It is written in Nyanja. Pagine has 105 free children’s books in Nyanja.

What age is “Bambo wamutali kwambili” for?

It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Bambo wamutali kwambili” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Hausa, Kiswahili, Turkana, Somali and more.

Who wrote “Bambo wamutali kwambili”?

“Bambo wamutali kwambili” was written by Cornelius Gulere and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Nyanja translation is by David Sani Mwanza.

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Credits: Bambo wamutali kwambili — Written by Cornelius Gulere; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by David Sani Mwanza; Read by Christine Mwanza. Nyanja, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=918). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026