Izilwanyana zasekhaya

Name: Izilwanyana zasekhaya
Availability: InStock
Author: Jenny Katz

A free picture book in Xhosa by Jenny Katz

Cover of Izilwanyana zasekhaya, a Xhosa picture book

Izilwanyana zasekhaya is a picture book in Xhosa for ages 2–8 by Jenny Katz that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Xhosa
Written by: Jenny Katz
Illustrated by: Sandy Campbell
Translated by: Veronica Ntombentsha Magalela and
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

Izilwanyana zasekhaya is a short illustrated picture book in Xhosa by Jenny Katz, illustrated by Sandy Campbell and translated by Veronica Ntombentsha Magalela and. 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 Xhosa. 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 25 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Nazi izilwanyana zasekhaya. Inkomo iyakhala ithi, “Mhu-u-u. Mhu-u-u.” Inkomo ifuna amanzi. Ibhokhwe iyakhala ithi, “Mhe-e-e-eh. Mhe-e-eeh.” Ibhokhwe ifuna amanzi. Ihashe liyakhala lithi, “Yi-hi-hi-hi. Yi-hi-hi-hi.” Ihashe lifuna amanzi. Ihagu iyakhala ithi, “Hho-hho-hho-i-i-i-i.” Ihagu ifuna amanzi. Isikhukukazi siyakhala sithi, “ke-ke-ke-keeee, ke-ke.” Isikhukukazi…

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. “Izilwanyana zasekhaya” 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 “Izilwanyana zasekhaya” free to read?

Yes. “Izilwanyana zasekhaya” 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 “Izilwanyana zasekhaya” in?

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

What age is “Izilwanyana zasekhaya” for?

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

Is “Izilwanyana zasekhaya” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Hausa, Kiswahili, Somali, Zulu, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Izilwanyana zasekhaya”?

“Izilwanyana zasekhaya” was written by Jenny Katz and illustrated by Sandy Campbell; the Xhosa translation is by Veronica Ntombentsha Magalela and.

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Credits: Izilwanyana zasekhaya — Written by Jenny Katz; Illustrated by Sandy Campbell; Translated by Veronica Ntombentsha Magalela and. Xhosa, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1221). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026