PagineIstayile sika Rafiki
A free picture book in Xhosa by Louis Greenberg
Istayile sika Rafiki is a picture book in Xhosa for ages 2–8 by Louis Greenberg that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Xhosa · isiXhosa
- Written by
- Louis Greenberg
- Illustrated by
- Audrey Anderson
- Reading level
- ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade
- From
- South Africa
- Source
- Book Dash
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Istayile sika Rafiki is a short illustrated picture book in Xhosa by Louis Greenberg, illustrated by Audrey Anderson. It is written for ages 2–8, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Xhosa. The book comes from Book Dash and is shared under an open CC BY 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read.
How it begins
Istayile sika Rafiki sesakhe yedwa, kodwa xa Iqela le Cool Cat lindolosa ngapha, uqalisa ngokucinga ukuba sifanelekile ngokwaneleyo na. Istayile sika Rafiki — Written by Louis Greenberg; Illustrated by Audrey Anderson; Designed by Wesley Thompson. isiXhosa. Published by Book Dash…Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).
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
Hayi!
ULara, ubhantom otyheli
Iphupha lam edroweni
ULondi intombazana ephuphayo
Iphupha likaGraça
Igolide kaTatomkhulu
UMpungutye Qhinga wenza amaqhinga
UYapo Uhlangula Usuku
See all 145 free Xhosa books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Istayile sika Rafiki” free to read?
Yes. “Istayile sika Rafiki” 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 4.0).
What language is “Istayile sika Rafiki” in?
It is written in Xhosa (isiXhosa). Pagine has 145 free children’s books in Xhosa.
What age is “Istayile sika Rafiki” for?
It is best for ages 2–8. Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Who wrote “Istayile sika Rafiki”?
“Istayile sika Rafiki” was written by Louis Greenberg and illustrated by Audrey Anderson.
Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.
Get the free app →Credits: Istayile sika Rafiki — Written by Louis Greenberg; Illustrated by Audrey Anderson; Designed by Wesley Thompson. isiXhosa. Published by Book Dash (ISBN 978-1-928318-41-5). CC BY 4.0. Source: https://bookdash.org/books/istayile-sika-rafiki/ · Page updated October 2026