Kwĩw’a

Name: Kwĩw’a
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Kwĩw’a is a picture book in Kikamba 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: Kikamba
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Anna Kula
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

Kwĩw’a is a short illustrated picture book in Kikamba by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Anna Kula. 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 Kikamba. 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 29 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Ngoo yakwa ĩĩw’a syĩndũ mbiingĩ mũno. Nĩw’aa muyo ĩla sũsũ ũkũtweea ngewa mawĩoo. Nĩw’aa makothe ĩla ngũthaũka na mũnyanyawa. Nĩw’aa naĩ ĩla tata wasya ndena mbesa. Nĩw’aa nĩmwende ĩla mwaitũ angumbatĩla. Kwĩw’a — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele…

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. “Kwĩw’a” is also available in:

Reading together in Kikamba

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 Kikamba

See all 19 free Kikamba books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Kwĩw’a” free to read?

Yes. “Kwĩw’a” 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 “Kwĩw’a” in?

It is written in Kikamba. Pagine has 19 free children’s books in Kikamba.

What age is “Kwĩw’a” for?

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

Is “Kwĩw’a” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Kimaasai, Turkana, Somali, Xhosa and more.

Who wrote “Kwĩw’a”?

“Kwĩw’a” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter; the Kikamba translation is by Anna Kula.

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Credits: Kwĩw’a — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Anna Kula. Kikamba, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2884). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026