Bana ba kerese

Name: Bana ba kerese
Availability: InStock
Author: Southern African Folktale

A free picture book in Sesotho by Southern African Folktale

Cover of Bana ba kerese, a Sesotho picture book

Bana ba kerese is a picture book in Sesotho for ages 5–8 by Southern African Folktale that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Sesotho
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Maria Vaz
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Bana ba kerese is a short illustrated picture book in Sesotho by Southern African Folktale, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Maria Vaz. 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 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 30 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Kgalekgale ho ne ho na le lelapa le thabileng. Lelapeng lena, ba ne ba sa lwantshane. Bana ba ne ba thusa batswadi ba bona ka mesebetsi ya ka tlung, le ya masimong. Empa, ba ne ba sa dumellwa ho atamela…

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. “Bana ba kerese” 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 “Bana ba kerese” free to read?

Yes. “Bana ba kerese” 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 “Bana ba kerese” in?

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

What age is “Bana ba kerese” for?

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

Is “Bana ba kerese” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Bana ba kerese”?

“Bana ba kerese” was written by Southern African Folktale and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Sesotho translation is by Maria Vaz.

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Credits: Bana ba kerese — Written by Southern African Folktale; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Maria Vaz. Sesotho, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2181). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026