Ina San Karatu

Name: Ina San Karatu
Availability: InStock
Author: Letta Machoga

A free picture book in Hausa by Letta Machoga

Cover of Ina San Karatu, a Hausa picture book

Ina San Karatu is a picture book in Hausa for ages 2–8 by Letta Machoga that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Hausa
Written by: Letta Machoga
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: rabiu abdullahi
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Nigeria
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ina San Karatu is a short illustrated picture book in Hausa by Letta Machoga, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by rabiu abdullahi. 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 Hausa. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 35 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Ina san karatu. Wa zan karatawa? Kuma kanwata tana bacci. To! Wai wa zan karantawa? Gashi kuma mahaifiyata da kakata suna girki. To! Wai wa zan karantawa? Mahaifina da kakana suma suna gyaran mota. To! Wai shin wa zan karantawa?…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 3.0).

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Ina San Karatu” is also available in:

Reading together in Hausa

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 Hausa

See all 204 free Hausa books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ina San Karatu” free to read?

Yes. “Ina San Karatu” 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 3.0).

What language is “Ina San Karatu” in?

It is written in Hausa. Pagine has 204 free children’s books in Hausa.

What age is “Ina San Karatu” for?

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

Is “Ina San Karatu” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda and more.

Who wrote “Ina San Karatu”?

“Ina San Karatu” was written by Letta Machoga and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Hausa translation is by rabiu abdullahi.

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Credits: Ina San Karatu — Written by Letta Machoga; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by rabiu abdullahi. Hausa, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-nigeria), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=10547). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026