Indoda Ende Kakhulu

Name: Indoda Ende Kakhulu
Availability: InStock
Author: Cornelius Gulere

A free picture book in Xhosa by Cornelius Gulere

Cover of Indoda Ende Kakhulu, a Xhosa picture book

Indoda Ende Kakhulu is a picture book in Xhosa for ages 5–8 by Cornelius Gulere that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Xhosa
Written by: Cornelius Gulere
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Nokuthula Bernelee Dyonase
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Indoda Ende Kakhulu is a short illustrated picture book in Xhosa by Cornelius Gulere, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by Nokuthula Bernelee Dyonase. It is written for ages 5–8 (Grades 1–2) and is graded as Level 2 · First sentences, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Xhosa. 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

Igaba lakhe lalilifutshane ngokwenene. Umnyango wakhe wawusezantsi ngokwenene. Ibhedi yakhe yayimfutshane ngokwenene. Ibhayisekile yakhe yayimfutshane ngokwenene. Lendoda yayinde ngokwenene! Yenza intonga yegaba ende kakhulu. Yenza imigubasi emide kakhulu. Yenza ibhedi ende kakhulu. Yathenga ibhayisekile ephakame kakhulu. Yahlala esitulweni esiphakame kakhulu.…

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. “Indoda Ende Kakhulu” is also available in:

Reading together in Xhosa

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 Xhosa

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Indoda Ende Kakhulu” free to read?

Yes. “Indoda Ende Kakhulu” 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 “Indoda Ende Kakhulu” in?

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

What age is “Indoda Ende Kakhulu” for?

It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Indoda Ende Kakhulu” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Hausa, Kiswahili, Turkana, Somali and more.

Who wrote “Indoda Ende Kakhulu”?

“Indoda Ende Kakhulu” was written by Cornelius Gulere and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Xhosa translation is by Nokuthula Bernelee Dyonase.

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Credits: Indoda Ende Kakhulu — Written by Cornelius Gulere; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by Nokuthula Bernelee Dyonase. Xhosa, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=918). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026