Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati

Name: Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati
Availability: InStock
Author: Cornelius Gulere

A free picture book in Tonga by Cornelius Gulere

Cover of Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati, a Tonga picture book

Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati is a picture book in Tonga for ages 5–8 by Cornelius Gulere that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Tonga
Written by: Cornelius Gulere
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Chester Mwanza
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati is a short illustrated picture book in Tonga by Cornelius Gulere, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by Chester Mwanza. It is written for ages 5–8 (Grades 1–2) and is graded as Level 2 · First sentences, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Tonga. 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 35 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Ijamba lyakwe lyakali lifwaafwi kapati. Mulyango waŋanda wakali mufwaafwi. Bulo bwakwe bwakali bufwaafwi. Ncinga yakwe yakali mfwaafwi. Ooyu mwaalumi wakali mulamfwu. Waka panga mwiini wajamba mulamfwu. Wakayaka milyango milamfwu kapati. Wakabamba bulo bulamfwu. Wakaula ncinga ndamfwu. Waka kkala acuuno cilamfwu.…

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. “Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati” is also available in:

Reading together in Tonga

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 Tonga

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati” free to read?

Yes. “Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati” 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 “Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati” in?

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

What age is “Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati” for?

It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Hausa, Kiswahili, Turkana, Somali and more.

Who wrote “Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati”?

“Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati” was written by Cornelius Gulere and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Tonga translation is by Chester Mwanza.

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Credits: Mwaalumi Mulamfwu Kapati — Written by Cornelius Gulere; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by Chester Mwanza. Tonga, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=918). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026