Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa

A free picture book in Lukhonzo by Ursula Nafula

Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa is a picture book in Lukhonzo for ages 5–8 by Ursula Nafula that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

📖 Read it free →

Language

Lukhonzo

Written by

Ursula Nafula

Illustrated by

Jesse Pietersen

Translated by

Amos Mubunga Kambere

Reading level

ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences

From

Uganda

Source

Global Storybooks

Licence

CC BY 4.0

Price

Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa is a short illustrated picture book in Lukhonzo by Ursula Nafula, illustrated by Jesse Pietersen and translated by Amos Mubunga Kambere. 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 Lukhonzo. 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

Ono ni Khalai. Awithe myaka musangyu. Erina liwe omwalhulimi lwiwe, o’Lubukusu, limanyisaya “omubuya”. Khalai akabuka omwathulho neryo inyakania nomuthi we mintsungwe athi, “kyisi muthi wemitsungwe, kulha lhubalhuba wangathuhererya ebighuma by’emitsungwe”. Khalai akaghenda omwabisando akayasoma. Neryo akabugha nebithi athi, “kyisi bithi,…

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. “Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa” is also available in:

• Afrikaans · Khalai praat met plante
• Bemba · Khalai Alasosha Icaani ne Fimuti
• English · Khalai talks to plants
• Jamaican Creole · Kalaahi
• Kaonde · Khalai wisamba na bijimwa
• Khoekhoegowab · Khalais ge haidi ǀkha ra ǃhoa
• Kiswahili · Khalai azungumza na mimea
• 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 Lukhonzo

• 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 Lukhonzo

• Erithungerera ebisoro
• Ukakolhaki?
• Eritwamo
• Anansi n’Obwenge
• Ekya’mwaliwabu Vusi abugha
• Eribara kutse erighanza ebisoro
• Ibiri
• Habwaki Eyisere siyiwite Bweya

See all 40 free Lukhonzo books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa” free to read?

Yes. “Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa” 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 “Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa” in?

It is written in Lukhonzo. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Lukhonzo.

What age is “Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa” for?

It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Kiswahili, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa and more.

Who wrote “Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa”?

“Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa” was written by Ursula Nafula and illustrated by Jesse Pietersen; the Lukhonzo translation is by Amos Mubunga Kambere.

Track reading with the free Pagine app

Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.

Get the free app →

Credits: Khalai akakanaya n’ebirimwa — Written by Ursula Nafula; Illustrated by Jesse Pietersen; Translated by Amos Mubunga Kambere. Lukhonzo, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=13545). CC BY 4.0. · Page updated October 2026