Mamba mwenye njaa

Name: Mamba mwenye njaa
Availability: InStock
Author: Christian G

A free picture book in Kiswahili by Christian G

Cover of Mamba mwenye njaa, a Kiswahili picture book

Mamba mwenye njaa is a picture book in Kiswahili for ages 2–8 by Christian G that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Kiswahili
Written by: Christian G
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Brigid Simiyu
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Mamba mwenye njaa is a short illustrated picture book in Kiswahili by Christian G, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Brigid Simiyu. 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 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 26 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Hapo zamani, palikuwa na mamba mwenye njaa. Alitafuta chakula taratibu na kwa ukimya. Halafu… POO!!! Mamba anashambulia! Baada ya hapo hana njaa tena, na anafurahi. Hadi atakapopatwa na njaa tena. Mamba mwenye njaa — Written by Christian G.; Illustrated by…

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. “Mamba mwenye njaa” 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 “Mamba mwenye njaa” free to read?

Yes. “Mamba mwenye njaa” 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 “Mamba mwenye njaa” in?

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

What age is “Mamba mwenye njaa” for?

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

Is “Mamba mwenye njaa” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Turkana, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Mamba mwenye njaa”?

“Mamba mwenye njaa” was written by Christian G and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Kiswahili translation is by Brigid Simiyu.

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Credits: Mamba mwenye njaa — Written by Christian G.; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Brigid Simiyu; 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=7043). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026