PagineKe rata ho bala
A free picture book in Sesotho from African Storybook
Ke rata ho bala is a picture book in Sesotho for ages 2–8 that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Sesotho
- Publisher
- African Storybook
- Reading level
- ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Leveled reader
- From
- South Africa
- Source
- Global Digital Library
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Ke rata ho bala is a short illustrated picture book in Sesotho. It is written for ages 2–8 and is graded as Leveled reader, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Sesotho. The book comes from the Global Digital Library and is shared under an open CC BY 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read.
How it begins
Ke rata ho bala. Nka balla mang? Kgaitsedi o robetse. Nka balla mang? Mme le nkgono ba tshwere ka thata. Nka balla mang? Ntate le Ntatemoholo ba tshwere ka thata. Nka balla mang? Nka ipalla! You are free to download,…Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).
Reading together in Sesotho
- 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 Sesotho
Ho batlana le moya wa hwetla
Moru wa dinoha
Moqebelo o mong o tjhesang haholo
Bese ya mmala wa botala ba lehodimo
Diaparo tsa ka tsa sekolo
Mollo
Abuti ya monyenyane ya botswa
Tingi le dikgomo
See all 125 free Sesotho books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Ke rata ho bala” free to read?
Yes. “Ke rata ho bala” 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 “Ke rata ho bala” in?
It is written in Sesotho. Pagine has 125 free children’s books in Sesotho.
What age is “Ke rata ho bala” for?
It is best for ages 2–8 (Leveled reader). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.
Get the free app →Credits: Ke rata ho bala — African Storybook, via the Global Digital Library. CC BY 4.0. Source: https://content.digitallibrary.io/st/book/ke-rata-ho-bala/ · Page updated October 2026