Digaagad iyo Galayr

Name: Digaagad iyo Galayr
Availability: InStock
Author: Ann Nduku

A free picture book in Somali by Ann Nduku

Cover of Digaagad iyo Galayr, a Somali picture book

Digaagad iyo Galayr is a picture book in Somali for ages 5–11 by Ann Nduku that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Somali
Written by: Ann Nduku
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Anwar Mohamed Dirie
Reading level: ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade · Level 3 · First paragraphs
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Digaagad iyo Galayr is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Ann Nduku, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Anwar Mohamed Dirie. 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 Somali. 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

Mar waayihi hore kamid ah, Digaagad iyo Galayr ayaa saaxiibbo ahaa. Waxa ay nabad oo la noolaayeen shimbiraha kale oo dhan. Midkoodna ma duuli karin. Hal maalin, ayaa waxaa dhulka ka jirtay abaar. Galayrkii waxa ay u socotay meel aad…

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. “Digaagad iyo Galayr” is also available in:

Reading together in Somali

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 Somali

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Digaagad iyo Galayr” free to read?

Yes. “Digaagad iyo Galayr” 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 “Digaagad iyo Galayr” in?

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

What age is “Digaagad iyo Galayr” for?

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

Is “Digaagad iyo Galayr” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, EkeGusii, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Tswana and more.

Who wrote “Digaagad iyo Galayr”?

“Digaagad iyo Galayr” was written by Ann Nduku and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Somali translation is by Anwar Mohamed Dirie.

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Credits: Digaagad iyo Galayr — Written by Ann Nduku; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Anwar Mohamed Dirie; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2084). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026