PagineFato Njilwabe
A free picture book in Kanuri by Michele Fry
Fato Njilwabe is a picture book in Kanuri for ages 5–11 by Michele Fry that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Kanuri
- Author
- Michele Fry
- Reading level
- ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade
- From
- Nigeria
- Source
- African Storybook
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Fato Njilwabe is a short illustrated picture book in Kanuri by Michele Fry. It is written for ages 5–11, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Kanuri. The book comes from the African Storybook and is shared under an open CC BY 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read.
How it begins
Amy Uzzell Jilwa fato bǝlin majin. Adǝ alama fato ngalwobe. "Rangnǝm isǝm rokko bonyiyen," wono Kuturuye. "Askǝrngǝna," wono Jilwabe. Yimdǝga bunedǝro Jilwabe kǝnashinzǝ ye toloa ye. "Rangnǝm isǝm rokko bonyiyen," wono Akuye. "Askǝrngǝna," wono Jilwabe. Yimdǝga bunedǝro Jilwabe kǝnashinzǝdǝ Kalla…Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).
Reading together in Kanuri
- 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.
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See all 33 free Kanuri books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Fato Njilwabe” free to read?
Yes. “Fato Njilwabe” 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 “Fato Njilwabe” in?
It is written in Kanuri. Pagine has 33 free children’s books in Kanuri.
What age is “Fato Njilwabe” for?
It is best for ages 5–11. Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Who wrote “Fato Njilwabe”?
“Fato Njilwabe” was written by Michele Fry.
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Get the free app →Credits: Fato Njilwabe — Author: Michele Fry; Translation: Mohammed Alhaji Modu; Illustration: Amy Uzzell, Jennifer Jacobs. Language: Kanuri. Level: First paragraphs. © Michele Fry, Amy Uzzell, Jennifer Jacobs and Bookdash.org 2014. CC BY 4.0. Source: https://www.africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=32370 · Page updated October 2026