Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo

Name: Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo
Availability: InStock
Author: Violet Otieno

A free picture book in Somali by Violet Otieno

Cover of Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo, a Somali picture book

Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo is a picture book in Somali for ages 8–11 by Violet Otieno that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Somali
Written by: Violet Otieno
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Abdi Muse
Reading level: ages 8–11 · 3rd to 5th grade · Level 4 · Longer paragraphs
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Violet Otieno, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by Abdi Muse. It is written for ages 8–11 (Grades 3–4) and is graded as Level 4 · Longer 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 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 21 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Odongo iyo Apiyo waxay kula noolaayeen magaalada aabahood. Waxay sugayeen fasaxyada. Ma aha sababti la iskuulka la xidhay, laakiin waxay u doonayeen in ay soo booqdaan ayeeyadood. Waxay ku nooleed tuulo kalluumeysi oo u dhaw laag ballaaran. Odongo iyo Apiyo…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo” 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 “Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo” free to read?

Yes. “Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo” 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 4.0).

What language is “Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo” in?

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

What age is “Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo” for?

It is best for ages 8–11 (Level 4 · Longer paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Turkana, Zulu, Xhosa, Sepedi, Tswana, Tsonga and more.

Who wrote “Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo”?

“Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo” was written by Violet Otieno and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Somali translation is by Abdi Muse.

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Credits: Fasaxyadii lala joogay ayeeyo — Written by Violet Otieno; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by Abdi Muse; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 4. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=12084). CC BY 4.0. · Page updated October 2026