Bivwalo bya Sukuulu

Name: Bivwalo bya Sukuulu
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Bivwalo bya Sukuulu, a Kaonde picture book

Bivwalo bya Sukuulu is a picture book in Kaonde 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: Kaonde
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Bivwalo bya Sukuulu is a short illustrated picture book in Kaonde by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo. 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 Kaonde. 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 30 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Aye ndeleshi yalepa. Aye sweta yabaya. Akye kyola kyabaya. Awe mushipi wa… Ake kakisochi kakeepa. Ae masokoshi aipipa. Bino ao masapato akatataka. … afikilamo bulongo. Bivwalo bya Sukuulu — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi…

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. “Bivwalo bya Sukuulu” is also available in:

Reading together in Kaonde

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 Kaonde

See all 40 free Kaonde books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Bivwalo bya Sukuulu” free to read?

Yes. “Bivwalo bya Sukuulu” 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 “Bivwalo bya Sukuulu” in?

It is written in Kaonde. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Kaonde.

What age is “Bivwalo bya Sukuulu” for?

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

Is “Bivwalo bya Sukuulu” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Bivwalo bya Sukuulu”?

“Bivwalo bya Sukuulu” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Kaonde translation is by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo.

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: Bivwalo bya Sukuulu — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo. Kaonde, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1794). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026