Incwadi yesimo sezulu

Name: Incwadi yesimo sezulu
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Incwadi yesimo sezulu, a Zulu picture book

Incwadi yesimo sezulu is a picture book in Zulu 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: Zulu
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Fikile Simelane
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Incwadi yesimo sezulu is a short illustrated picture book in Zulu by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Fikile Simelane. 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 Zulu. 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

Komile Ilanga liyashisa Kunomoya Liguqubele Kuyabanda Liyana Kukhona ukuduma kwezulu Ngibona uthingo Incwadi yesimo sezulu — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Fikile Simelane; Read by Beauty Ngwenya. Zulu, Level…

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. “Incwadi yesimo sezulu” is also available in:

Reading together in Zulu

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 Zulu

See all 145 free Zulu books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Incwadi yesimo sezulu” free to read?

Yes. “Incwadi yesimo sezulu” 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 “Incwadi yesimo sezulu” in?

It is written in Zulu. Pagine has 145 free children’s books in Zulu.

What age is “Incwadi yesimo sezulu” for?

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

Is “Incwadi yesimo sezulu” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Incwadi yesimo sezulu”?

“Incwadi yesimo sezulu” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; the Zulu translation is by Fikile Simelane.

Scan to get the free Pagine reading tracker app

Track reading with the free Pagine app

Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.

Get the free app →

Credits: Incwadi yesimo sezulu — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Fikile Simelane; Read by Beauty Ngwenya. Zulu, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1861). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026