Ibuku rĩa rĩera

Name: Ibuku rĩa rĩera
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Ibuku rĩa rĩera, a Kikuyu picture book

Ibuku rĩa rĩera is a picture book in Kikuyu 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: Kikuyu
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Naomi Kamau
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ibuku rĩa rĩera is a short illustrated picture book in Kikuyu by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Naomi Kamau. 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 Kikuyu. 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 37 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Nĩ kũmũ. Riũa nĩ rĩhiũ. Kwĩna rũhuho. Kwĩna matu. Kwĩna heho. Nĩ kũraura. Kwĩna marurumĩ. Nĩ ndĩrona mũkũnga-mbura. Ibuku rĩa rĩera — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Naomi Kamau.…

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. “Ibuku rĩa rĩera” is also available in:

Reading together in Kikuyu

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 Kikuyu

See all 5 free Kikuyu books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ibuku rĩa rĩera” free to read?

Yes. “Ibuku rĩa rĩera” 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 “Ibuku rĩa rĩera” in?

It is written in Kikuyu. Pagine has 5 free children’s books in Kikuyu.

What age is “Ibuku rĩa rĩera” for?

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

Is “Ibuku rĩa rĩera” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Yoruba, Kiswahili, Kimaasai, Turkana, Olukhayo and more.

Who wrote “Ibuku rĩa rĩera”?

“Ibuku rĩa rĩera” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; the Kikuyu translation is by Naomi Kamau.

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Credits: Ibuku rĩa rĩera — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Naomi Kamau. Kikuyu, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1861). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026