Mmele wa ka

Name: Mmele wa ka
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Mmele wa ka, a Sesotho picture book

Mmele wa ka is a picture book in Sesotho 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: Sesotho
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Maria Vaz
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

Mmele wa ka is a short illustrated picture book in Sesotho by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Maria Vaz. 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 Sesotho. 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

Nka matha ka ona. Nka tlola ka ona. Nka tjeka ka ona. Nka sesa ka ona. Nka tlolatlola ka ona. Nka raha ka ona. Nka phonyoha ka ona. Empa nke ke ka fofa ka ona. Mmele wa ka — Written…

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. “Mmele wa ka” is also available in:

Reading together in Sesotho

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 Sesotho

See all 125 free Sesotho books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Mmele wa ka” free to read?

Yes. “Mmele wa ka” 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 “Mmele wa ka” in?

It is written in Sesotho. Pagine has 125 free children’s books in Sesotho.

What age is “Mmele wa ka” for?

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

Is “Mmele wa ka” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Mmele wa ka”?

“Mmele wa ka” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Sesotho translation is by Maria Vaz.

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Credits: Mmele wa ka — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Maria Vaz. Sesotho, 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