Miri wa mina

Name: Miri wa mina
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Miri wa mina, a Tsonga picture book

Miri wa mina is a picture book in Tsonga for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Tsonga
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Candy Hlatshwayo
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Miri wa mina is a short illustrated picture book in Tsonga by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Candy Hlatshwayo. 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 Tsonga. 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

Ndzi kota ku tsutsuma hi wona. Ndzi kota ku tlula hi wona. Ndzi kota ku cina hi wona. Ndzi kota ku hlambela hi wona. Ndzi kota ku tlula hi wona. Ndzi kota ku raha hi wona. Ndzi kota ku baleka…

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. “Miri wa mina” is also available in:

Reading together in Tsonga

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 Tsonga

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Miri wa mina” free to read?

Yes. “Miri wa mina” 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 “Miri wa mina” in?

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

What age is “Miri wa mina” for?

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

Is “Miri wa mina” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Kiswahili, Kikamba, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Miri wa mina”?

“Miri wa mina” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Tsonga translation is by Candy Hlatshwayo.

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Credits: Miri wa mina — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Candy Hlatshwayo. Tsonga, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1790). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026