Kubala Banyama

Name: Kubala Banyama
Availability: InStock
Author: Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek

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

Cover of Kubala Banyama, a Tonga picture book

Kubala Banyama is a picture book in Tonga for ages 2–8 by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Tonga
Written by: Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek
Illustrated by: Rob Owen
Translated by: Chester Mwanza
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Kubala Banyama is a short illustrated picture book in Tonga by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek, illustrated by Rob Owen and translated by Chester Mwanza. 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 Tonga. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 32 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Musovwu omwe uya kukunywa meenda. Nddudwa zyobilo zyuunka kukunywa meenda. Banyati botatwe abayuni bone baya kukunywa meenda abalo. Banakasya bosanwe abamunjile baali cisambomwe baya kukunywa meenda. Bacibize bali ciloba bazuzila kumeenda. Bacula bali lusele answi zyili fwuka zyilasamba mumeenda. Syumbwa…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 3.0).

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Kubala Banyama” is also available in:

Reading together in Tonga

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 Tonga

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Kubala Banyama” free to read?

Yes. “Kubala Banyama” 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 3.0).

What language is “Kubala Banyama” in?

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

What age is “Kubala Banyama” for?

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

Is “Kubala Banyama” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Kubala Banyama”?

“Kubala Banyama” was written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek and illustrated by Rob Owen; the Tonga translation is by Chester Mwanza.

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Credits: Kubala Banyama — Written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek; Illustrated by Rob Owen; Translated by Chester Mwanza. Tonga, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=9671). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026