Mbewu leyitsongo

A free picture book in Xitsonga by Nicola Rijsdijk

Mbewu leyitsongo is a picture book in Xitsonga for ages 2–8 by Nicola Rijsdijk that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language

Xitsonga

Written by

Nicola Rijsdijk

Illustrated by

Maya Marshak

Reading level

ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade

From

South Africa

Source

Book Dash

Licence

CC BY 4.0

Price

Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Mbewu leyitsongo is a short illustrated picture book in Xitsonga by Nicola Rijsdijk, illustrated by Maya Marshak. It is written for ages 2–8, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Xitsonga. The book comes from Book Dash and is shared under an open CC BY 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read.

How it begins

Eka tikoxikaya ra le tlhelo ka Mount Kenya, nhwana lontsongo a tirha emansin’wini na manana wa yena. A vilerisiwa hi loko a vona swihlahla leswikulu swi nyamalala, kambe a tiva […] Mbewu leyitsongo — Written by Nicola Rijsdijk; Illustrated by…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).

Reading together in Xitsonga

• 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 Xitsonga

• Buku ya Maxelo
• Mahewu
• Ku Na Ritshwa eNtshaveni
• Lara xifufununu xa xitshopana
• Riendzo Lerikulu ra Xinyenyana
• Swimilani leswitsongo
• Xitayili xa Rafiki
• N’wamfutsu a kuma kaya ra yena

See all 56 free Xitsonga books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Mbewu leyitsongo” free to read?

Yes. “Mbewu leyitsongo” 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 4.0).

What language is “Mbewu leyitsongo” in?

It is written in Xitsonga. Pagine has 56 free children’s books in Xitsonga.

What age is “Mbewu leyitsongo” for?

It is best for ages 2–8. Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Who wrote “Mbewu leyitsongo”?

“Mbewu leyitsongo” was written by Nicola Rijsdijk and illustrated by Maya Marshak.

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Credits: Mbewu leyitsongo — Written by Nicola Rijsdijk; Illustrated by Maya Marshak; Designed by Tarryn-Anne Anderson. Xitsonga. Published by Book Dash (ISBN 978-1-77632-530-6). CC BY 4.0. Source: https://bookdash.org/books/mbewu-leyitsongo/ · Page updated October 2026