Botlhale jwa ga Anansi

Name: Botlhale jwa ga Anansi
Availability: InStock
Author: Ghanaian folktale

A free picture book in Tswana by Ghanaian folktale

Cover of Botlhale jwa ga Anansi, a Tswana picture book

Botlhale jwa ga Anansi is a picture book in Tswana for ages 5–11 by Ghanaian folktale that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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

About this book

Botlhale jwa ga Anansi is a short illustrated picture book in Tswana by Ghanaian folktale, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Antonia Madi. 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 Tswana. 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

Bogologolo tala batho ba ne ba sa itse sepe. Ba ne ba sa itse jaaka go tlhonngwa, go dira sepata,kgotsa go dira didirisiwa tsa tshipi.Modimi Nyame kwa loaping o na le botlhale jotlhe jwa lefatshe.O bo beile sentle mo pitseng…

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. “Botlhale jwa ga Anansi” is also available in:

Reading together in Tswana

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 Tswana

See all 103 free Tswana books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Botlhale jwa ga Anansi” free to read?

Yes. “Botlhale jwa ga Anansi” 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 “Botlhale jwa ga Anansi” in?

It is written in Tswana. Pagine has 103 free children’s books in Tswana.

What age is “Botlhale jwa ga Anansi” for?

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

Is “Botlhale jwa ga Anansi” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Botlhale jwa ga Anansi”?

“Botlhale jwa ga Anansi” was written by Ghanaian folktale and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Tswana translation is by Antonia Madi.

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Credits: Botlhale jwa ga Anansi — Written by Ghanaian folktale; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Antonia Madi. Tswana, 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