Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala
A free picture book in Lunda by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala is a picture book in Lunda for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Lunda
- Written by
- Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
- Illustrated by
- Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
- Translated by
- Oscar Zangata
- Reading level
- ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
- From
- Zambia
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY-NC 3.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala is a short illustrated picture book in Lunda by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Oscar Zangata. 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 Lunda. 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 33 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).
How it begins
Nahindukan’ga nakubutula kesi. Natatishan’ga menji. Natetan’ga nchawa. Nafunga’ga Mumba Nakomban’ga mwitala. Nakosan’ga yen’ga. Mulon’gadi nazatilan’ga nan’govu… .... mwanyikami yena kakuhema hohu? Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated…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. “Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Lui klein boetie
- Aringati · Álụ́ ma ꞌbã á dríp ̣ ị ĩmbírá ŋá ũ vú rĩ
- Bemba · Kandume yandi akanaŋani
- English · Lazy little brother (Colour-in)
- Jamaican Creole · Liezi likl breda
- Kaonde · Nkasami Wamulume Nkope
- Khoekhoegowab · ǀOpesa ǂkhari ǃgâsarob
- Kichaga · Maneru namroko
- Kikamba · Kamwanayia kaanu
- Kimaasai · Olotí aláshe túrúáí
- Kisukuma · Nzunaone ngokolo.
- Kiswahili · Mdogo wangu mvivu
- Lubukusu · Wandayase omutiti omukara
- Luganda · Muto wange munafu
- Lugbarati (official orthography) · Ma adrigaaovuoruri
- Lukhonzo · Mughala Wethu Omughatha
- Lumasaaba · Waandaaye umukyeekhe umutoro
- Lunyole · Muto yange omudoto
- Lusoga · Lwaki nkola zenka?
- Luvale · Songoyami walunga wauvwa
- Mauritian Creole · Enn ti frer pares
- Nyanja · Mphwanga Waulesi
- Oshikwanyama · Okamwameme mati okananyalo
- Oshindonga · Okamwamememati okananyalo
- Otjiherero · Okangu kotjirweyo
- Sesotho · Abuti ya monyenyane ya botswa
- Somali · Walal yar oo caajislow ah
- Spanish · El hermanito perezoso
- Tonga · Kasyoonto Kangu kasankwa Katolo
- Tswana · Kgantsadiake yo monnye wa sekopa
- Turkana · Lokaito Loochi Lokalany
- Xhosa · Umnakwethu Omncinci Olivila
- Zulu · Ubhuti omncane ovilaphayo
Reading together in Lunda
- 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 Lunda
Kesi
Kuteleka
Tom namukakulandisha makondi
Impembi, Kawa na Ng’ombi
Nozibele na nansuki zhisatu
Magozwe
Yakuvwala yakushikola
Muzhimba wami
See all 40 free Lunda books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala” free to read?
Yes. “Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala” 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 “Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala” in?
It is written in Lunda. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Lunda.
What age is “Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala” for?
It is best for ages 2–8 (Level 1 · First words). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana, Somali and more.
Who wrote “Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala”?
“Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Lunda translation is by Oscar Zangata.
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Get the free app →Credits: Mwanyikami wamunyanya wakatala — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Oscar Zangata. Lunda, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2896). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026