Inkoko ne Ciyongoli

Name: Inkoko ne Ciyongoli
Availability: InStock
Author: Winny Asara

A free picture book in Bemba by Winny Asara

Cover of Inkoko ne Ciyongoli, a Bemba picture book

Inkoko ne Ciyongoli is a picture book in Bemba for ages 5–11 by Winny Asara that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Bemba
Written by: Winny Asara
Illustrated by: Magriet Brink
Translated by: Sandra Mulesu
Reading level: ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade · Level 3 · First paragraphs
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Inkoko ne Ciyongoli is a short illustrated picture book in Bemba by Winny Asara, illustrated by Magriet Brink and translated by Sandra Mulesu. It is written for ages 5–11 (Grades 2–3) and is graded as Level 3 · First paragraphs, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Bemba. 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 26 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Inkoko ne Ciyongoli fyali fibusa. Nomba lyonse baaleecimfyanya. Ubushiku bumo, baatontonkenye ukuti bateye umupila pakuti bamone uwaishibishe ukuteya. Baile ku cibansa ca mupila no kwamba ukuteya. Inkoko yali iyayangukilwa nomba Iciyongoli calyangukishe ukucilapo. Inkoko yapantiile ukutali nomba Iciyongoli capantiile ukutali…

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. “Inkoko ne Ciyongoli” is also available in:

Reading together in Bemba

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 Bemba

See all 40 free Bemba books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Inkoko ne Ciyongoli” free to read?

Yes. “Inkoko ne Ciyongoli” 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 “Inkoko ne Ciyongoli” in?

It is written in Bemba. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Bemba.

What age is “Inkoko ne Ciyongoli” for?

It is best for ages 5–11 (Level 3 · First paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Inkoko ne Ciyongoli” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Tswana, Sesotho and more.

Who wrote “Inkoko ne Ciyongoli”?

“Inkoko ne Ciyongoli” was written by Winny Asara and illustrated by Magriet Brink; the Bemba translation is by Sandra Mulesu.

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Credits: Inkoko ne Ciyongoli — Written by Winny Asara; Illustrated by Magriet Brink; Translated by Sandra Mulesu. Bemba, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=9094). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026