Mmele waka

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

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

Cover of Mmele waka, a Sepedi picture book

Mmele waka is a picture book in Sepedi 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: Sepedi
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Motlhago Sara Mohale
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 waka is a short illustrated picture book in Sepedi by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Motlhago Sara Mohale. 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 Sepedi. 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

Ke kitima ka wona. Ke tlola ka wona. Ke bina ka wona. Ke rutha ka wona. Ke tlola-tlola ka wona. Ke raga ka wona. Ke phonyokga ka wona. Efela, ga ke kgone go fofela marung ka wona! Mmele waka —…

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 waka” is also available in:

Reading together in Sepedi

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 Sepedi

See all 104 free Sepedi books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Mmele waka” free to read?

Yes. “Mmele waka” 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 waka” in?

It is written in Sepedi. Pagine has 104 free children’s books in Sepedi.

What age is “Mmele waka” for?

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

Is “Mmele waka” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Mmele waka”?

“Mmele waka” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Sepedi translation is by Motlhago Sara Mohale.

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Credits: Mmele waka — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Motlhago Sara Mohale. Sepedi, 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