PagineMá vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?
A free picture book in Lugbarati (official orthography) by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ? is a picture book in Lugbarati (official orthography) 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
- Lugbarati (official orthography)
- Written by
- Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
- Illustrated by
- Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter
- Translated by
- Dorothy Fetaru
- Reading level
- ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
- From
- Uganda
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY-NC 3.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ? is a short illustrated picture book in Lugbarati (official orthography) by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Dorothy Fetaru. 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 Lugbarati (official orthography). 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
Èrɨ gbóló ètɨ́á yǎ? Èrɨ kábàdì mà drìá yǎ? Èrɨ kómé sofa rʉ́ rɨ̀ mà ètɨ́á yǎ? Èrɨ gbóló mà àgeyíá yǎ? Èrɨ ógóyɨ́á mà alɨ́á yǎ? Èrɨ jóá rɨ̀sɨ̀ àmvé yǎ? Èrɨ ‘dò ‘ɨ. Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?…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. “Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Waar is my kat?
- Aringati · Mâ bú rã ŋâ íngõ lé ?
- Bemba · Puushi wandi alikwisa?
- English · Where is my cat? (Colour-in)
- Irish · Cá bhfuil mo chat?
- Jamaican Creole · We mi kyat de?
- Kaonde · Kamotoka kami kajipi?
- Khoekhoegowab · Ti ǀhôasa mâpa hâ?
- Kiswahili · Wapi paka wangu?
- Luganda · Kkapa yange eri wa?
- Lukhonzo · Akangyangwa kayi kalihayi?
- Lunda · Kamesha kami wudi kudihi?
- Lunyole · Ekapa yange yiri ŋeena?
- Lusoga · Eipuusi lyange lili gha?
- Luvale · Kangatwe kami ali kulihi?
- Mauritian Creole · Mo sat kote?
- Nyanja · Cona wanga ali kuti?
- Oshikwanyama · Okambishi kange oke li peni?
- Oshindonga · Okambishi kandje oke li peni?
- Otjiherero · Okambihi kandje ke ri pi?
- Sepedi · Katse yaka e kae?
- Sesotho · Katse yaka e kae?
- Somali · Aaway yaanyuurtaydii?
- South Ndebele · Ukuphi ukatsu wami?
- Spanish · ¿Dónde está mi gato?
- Swati · Liphi likati lami
- Tonga · Ino Kaaze Wangu Uli Kuli?
- Turkana · Aluwae Eyei Ipus Nikang’?
- Xhosa · Iphi ikati yam?
Reading together in Lugbarati (official orthography)
- 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 Lugbarati (official orthography)
Ágʉ̀pɨ́ ɨ́zʉ̀ rɨ́
Búkù àngù mile nɨ́ rɨ̀
Èbìó pɨ Òndʉ̀á be
Nyaká a’dɨ́zà
Candiru pi dri’biifi na ‘diyi be
Anzɨ Òdirì rʉ́ dɨ̀yɨ
Àfaamázʉ́
Ndrí ‘ɨ, Òcó ‘ɨ àzɨ́nɨ Tí ‘ɨ
See all 13 free Lugbarati (official orthography) books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?” free to read?
Yes. “Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?” 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 “Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?” in?
It is written in Lugbarati (official orthography). Pagine has 13 free children’s books in Lugbarati (official orthography).
What age is “Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?” for?
It is best for ages 2–8 (Level 1 · First words). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Turkana, Somali, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.
Who wrote “Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?”?
“Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ?” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; the Lugbarati (official orthography) translation is by Dorothy Fetaru.
Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.
Get the free app →Credits: Má vɨ́lé búsùá ngùá yǎ? — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Dorothy Fetaru. Lugbarati (official orthography), Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1825). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026