Kitabu cha hali ya hewa

Name: Kitabu cha hali ya hewa
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Kitabu cha hali ya hewa, a Kiswahili picture book

Kitabu cha hali ya hewa is a picture book in Kiswahili for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

📖 Read it free →

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

About this book

Kitabu cha hali ya hewa is a short illustrated picture book in Kiswahili by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Mutugi Kamundi. 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 Kiswahili. 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

Hakuna mvua. Jua linang’aa. Kuna upepo. Kuna mawingu. Kuna baridi. Mvua inanyesha. Kuna ngurumo za radi. Naona upinde wa mvua. Kitabu cha hali ya hewa — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter;…

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. “Kitabu cha hali ya hewa” is also available in:

Reading together in Kiswahili

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 Kiswahili

See all 100 free Kiswahili books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Kitabu cha hali ya hewa” free to read?

Yes. “Kitabu cha hali ya hewa” 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 “Kitabu cha hali ya hewa” in?

It is written in Kiswahili. Pagine has 100 free children’s books in Kiswahili.

What age is “Kitabu cha hali ya hewa” for?

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

Is “Kitabu cha hali ya hewa” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Kitabu cha hali ya hewa”?

“Kitabu cha hali ya hewa” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; the Kiswahili translation is by Mutugi Kamundi.

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Credits: Kitabu cha hali ya hewa — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Sandra McDougall, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Mutugi Kamundi; Read by Lauwo George. Kiswahili, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1861). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026