PagineIa
A free picture book in Krio by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Ia is a picture book in Krio for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Krio
- Written by
- Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
- Illustrated by
- Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter
- Translated by
- Tracy Nduka Godwin-Cole
- Reading level
- ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
- From
- Sierra Leone
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY-NC 3.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Ia is a short illustrated picture book in Krio by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Tracy Nduka Godwin-Cole. 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 Krio. 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
Thuli gɛt shɔt ia. Ana gɛt lɔng ia. Cathy in ia na di wan we lɔng pas ɔl. Zama gɛt ia we dɛn dɔn plet. Baba gɛt bia-bia. Zanela dɔn kom in ia. Thabo dɔn kɔt in ia. Themba dɔn…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. “Ia” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Hare
- Aringati · ̃ ĩnũ wé lẽ Drĩꞌ̣ bị́ Iz
- Ateso · Itima
- Bemba · Umushishi
- English · Hair
- Irish · Gruaig
- Jamaican Creole · Ier
- Kaonde · Nsuki
- Khoekhoegowab · ǀÛn
- Kigogo · Mvwili
- Kikamba · Nzwĩĩ
- Kimaasai · Ilpápít
- Kiswahili · Nywele
- Luganda · Enviri
- Lukhonzo · Esy’anzwiri
- Lumasaaba · Litsuune
- Lunda · Insuki
- Lunyole · Efiiri
- Lusoga · Nviiri
- Luvale · Jikhambu
- Mauritian Creole · Seve
- Nyanja · Tsitsi
- Oshikwanyama · Eexwiki
- Oshindonga · Omafufu
- Otjiherero · Ozondjise
- Sesotho · Moriri
- Somali · Timo
- Spanish · El pelo
- Tonga · Masusu
- Tswana · Moriri
- Turkana · Ng’Itim
- Venda · Mavhudzi
- Xhosa · Iinwele
- Zulu · Izinwele
Reading together in Krio
- 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 Krio
See all 6 free Krio books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Ia” free to read?
Yes. “Ia” 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 “Ia” in?
It is written in Krio. Pagine has 6 free children’s books in Krio.
What age is “Ia” for?
It is best for ages 2–8 (Level 1 · First words). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Ia” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana, Somali and more.
Who wrote “Ia”?
“Ia” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; the Krio translation is by Tracy Nduka Godwin-Cole.
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Get the free app →Credits: Ia — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Tracy Nduka Godwin-Cole. Krio, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-sierraleone), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1746). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026