Ìwé òjò

Name: Ìwé òjò
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Ìwé òjò is a picture book in Yoruba for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Yoruba
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Rachel Oladejo
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Nigeria
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ìwé òjò is a short illustrated picture book in Yoruba by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Rachel Oladejo. 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 Yoruba. 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

O gbẹ. Òrùn gbóná. Afẹfẹ jẹ. Awọsanma ni. O tùtù. Òjò nró. Àrá wà. Mo rí òṣùmàrè kan. Ìwé òjò — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Rachel Oladejo. Yoruba,…

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. “Ìwé òjò” is also available in:

Reading together in Yoruba

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 Yoruba

See all 48 free Yoruba books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ìwé òjò” free to read?

Yes. “Ìwé òjò” 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 “Ìwé òjò” in?

It is written in Yoruba. Pagine has 48 free children’s books in Yoruba.

What age is “Ìwé òjò” for?

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

Is “Ìwé òjò” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Ìwé òjò”?

“Ìwé òjò” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; the Yoruba translation is by Rachel Oladejo.

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Credits: Ìwé òjò — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Rachel Oladejo. Yoruba, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-nigeria), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1861). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026