Maxaad samaynaysaa?

Name: Maxaad samaynaysaa?
Availability: InStock
Author: Nina Orange

A free picture book in Somali by Nina Orange

Cover of Maxaad samaynaysaa?, a Somali picture book

Maxaad samaynaysaa? is a picture book in Somali for ages 2–8 by Nina Orange that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Somali
Written by: Nina Orange
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Abdi Muse
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

Maxaad samaynaysaa? is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Nina Orange, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Abdi Muse. 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 Somali. 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 29 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Waan heesayaa. Gacanta ayay haadinaysaa. Waan sacbinayaa. Waa ay jimicsanaysaa. Wuu u yeedhayaa. Waan ka jawaabayaa. Waa ay dhagaysanaysaa. Maxaad samaynaysaa? — Written by Nina Orange; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Abdi Muse; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali,…

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. “Maxaad samaynaysaa?” is also available in:

Reading together in Somali

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 Somali

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Maxaad samaynaysaa?” free to read?

Yes. “Maxaad samaynaysaa?” 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 “Maxaad samaynaysaa?” in?

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

What age is “Maxaad samaynaysaa?” for?

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

Is “Maxaad samaynaysaa?” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Kikuyu, Turkana, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Sepedi and more.

Who wrote “Maxaad samaynaysaa?”?

“Maxaad samaynaysaa?” was written by Nina Orange and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Somali translation is by Abdi Muse.

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Credits: Maxaad samaynaysaa? — Written by Nina Orange; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Abdi Muse; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=7292). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026