Mwanamume mrefu

Name: Mwanamume mrefu
Availability: InStock
Author: Cornelius Gulere

A free picture book in Kiswahili by Cornelius Gulere

Cover of Mwanamume mrefu, a Kiswahili picture book

Mwanamume mrefu is a picture book in Kiswahili for ages 5–8 by Cornelius Gulere that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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

About this book

Mwanamume mrefu is a short illustrated picture book in Kiswahili by Cornelius Gulere, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by Ursula Nafula. 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 Kiswahili. 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

Jembe lake lilikuwa fupi mno. Mlango wake ulikuwa chini mno. Kitanda chake kilikuwa kifupi mno. Baisikeli yake ilikuwa fupi sana. Mtu huyu alikuwa mrefu zaidi! Alitengeneza mpini wa jembe mrefu sana. Alitengeneza fremu ndefu za milango. Alitengeneza kitanda kirefu sana.…

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. “Mwanamume mrefu” is also available in:

Reading together in Kiswahili

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 Kiswahili

See all 100 free Kiswahili books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Mwanamume mrefu” free to read?

Yes. “Mwanamume mrefu” 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 “Mwanamume mrefu” in?

It is written in Kiswahili. Pagine has 100 free children’s books in Kiswahili.

What age is “Mwanamume mrefu” for?

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

Is “Mwanamume mrefu” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Mwanamume mrefu”?

“Mwanamume mrefu” was written by Cornelius Gulere and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Kiswahili translation is by Ursula Nafula.

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Credits: Mwanamume mrefu — Written by Cornelius Gulere; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by Ursula Nafula; Read by Lauwo George. Kiswahili, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=918). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026