Gruaig

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

Gruaig is a picture book in Irish for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Irish
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Jacqueline de Brún
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Ireland
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Gruaig is a short illustrated picture book in Irish by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Jacqueline de Brún. 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 Irish. 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 34 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Tá gruaig ghearr ag Thuli. Tá gruaig fhada ag Anna. Tá an ghruaig is faide ag Cathy. Tá trilseáin sa ghruaig ag Zama. Tá féasóg ar Bhaba. Tá a cuid gruaige cíortha ag Zanele. Tá a chuid gruaige gearrtha ag…

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. “Gruaig” is also available in:

Reading together in Irish

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 Irish

Ag comhaireamh ainmhithe

See all 8 free Irish books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Gruaig” free to read?

Yes. “Gruaig” 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 “Gruaig” in?

It is written in Irish. Pagine has 8 free children’s books in Irish.

What age is “Gruaig” for?

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

Is “Gruaig” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Gruaig”?

“Gruaig” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; the Irish translation is by Jacqueline de Brún.

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Credits: Gruaig — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Jacqueline de Brún; Read by Jacqueline de Brún. Irish, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-ireland), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1746). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026