PagineKalaahi
A free picture book in Jamaican Creole by Ursula Nafula
Kalaahi is a picture book in Jamaican Creole for ages 5–8 by Ursula Nafula that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Jamaican Creole
- Written by
- Ursula Nafula
- Illustrated by
- Jesse Pietersen
- Translated by
- Georgette McGlashen
- Reading level
- ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
- From
- Jamaica
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Kalaahi is a short illustrated picture book in Jamaican Creole by Ursula Nafula, illustrated by Jesse Pietersen and translated by Georgette McGlashen. 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 Jamaican Creole. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 24 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).
How it begins
Dis a Kalaahi. Shi a sevn iez uol. Ar niem miin ‘di gud-wan’ inna fi ar langgwij, Lubukuusu. Kalaahi wiek op an a taak tu di arinj chrii. “Du arinj, gruo big an gi wi uol iip a raip arinj.”…Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).
This story in other languages
Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Kalaahi” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Khalai praat met plante
- Bemba · Khalai Alasosha Icaani ne Fimuti
- English · Khalai talks to plants
- Kaonde · Khalai wisamba na bijimwa
- Khoekhoegowab · Khalais ge haidi ǀkha ra ǃhoa
- Kiswahili · Khalai azungumza na mimea
- Lukhonzo · Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa
- Lunda · Khalai wahoshan’ga na zhimbutu
- Luvale · Khalai eji kuhanjika navimbuto
- Mauritian Creole · Khalai koz avek bann plant
- Nigerian Pidgin · Khalai yan with plant
- Nyanja · Khalai alankhula ku Zomela
- Oshikwanyama · Khalai ta popi noimeno
- Oshindonga · Khalai ta popi niimeno
- Otjiherero · Khalai ma hungirisa omiti
- Sesotho · Khalai o bua le dimela
- Somali · Kalaay waxay la hadashaa dhirta
- Spanish · Khalai le habla a las plantas
- Tonga · Khalai Ulabandika Kuzyisyango
- Tsonga · Wavhidi a Vulavula Na Swimilana
- Tswana · Khalai o bua le dimela
- Venda · Khalai U Amba Na Zwitavhiwa
- Xhosa · Upalesa Uthanda Izityalo
- Zulu · Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo
Reading together in Jamaican Creole
- 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 Jamaican Creole
See all 40 free Jamaican Creole books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Kalaahi” free to read?
Yes. “Kalaahi” 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 “Kalaahi” in?
It is written in Jamaican Creole. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Jamaican Creole.
What age is “Kalaahi” for?
It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Kalaahi” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Kiswahili, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa and more.
Who wrote “Kalaahi”?
“Kalaahi” was written by Ursula Nafula and illustrated by Jesse Pietersen; the Jamaican Creole translation is by Georgette McGlashen.
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Get the free app →Credits: Kalaahi — Written by Ursula Nafula; Illustrated by Jesse Pietersen; Translated by Georgette McGlashen. Jamaican Creole, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-jamaica), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=13545). CC BY 4.0. · Page updated October 2026