PagineNdizi za bibi
A free picture book in Kiswahili by Ursula Nafula
Ndizi za bibi is a picture book in Kiswahili for ages 8–11 by Ursula Nafula that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Kiswahili
- Written by
- Ursula Nafula
- Illustrated by
- Catherine Groenewald
- Translated by
- Matteo E
- Reading level
- ages 8–11 · 3rd to 5th grade · Level 4 · Longer paragraphs
- From
- Kenya
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY 3.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Ndizi za bibi is a short illustrated picture book in Kiswahili by Ursula Nafula, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by Matteo E. It is written for ages 8–11 (Grades 3–4) and is graded as Level 4 · Longer paragraphs, 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 18 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).
How it begins
Bibi alikuwa na bustani nzuri iliyojaa mtama, ulezi na mihogo. Lakini kati ya mazao yote, alipenda zaidi ndizi. Japo bibi alikuwa na wajukuu wengi, nilikuja kubaini kuwa alikuwa ananipenda mimi zaidi ya wote. Mara nyingi alikuwa akinialika nyumbani kwake. Pia…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. “Ndizi za bibi” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Ouma se piesangs
- Bemba · Inkonde shaba maama
- EkeGusii · Amatoke A’baba
- Jamaican Creole · Granmaa banaana dem
- Kaonde · Makonde aba Nkambo
- Kikamba · Maiũ ma Sũsũ
- Kimaasai · Ilmaisurîn le kokoô
- Lugbarati (official orthography) · Dede vile A’bua ri
- Lukhonzo · Ameeru A’mukaka
- Lumasaaba · Kamarofu ka Kuukhu
- Lunda · Makondi aNkanka
- Luvale · Makonde akhaka
- Mauritian Creole · Banann granmer
- Nyanja · Nthochi za Agogo
- Somali · Mooskii ayeeyo
- Spanish · Los plátanos de mi abuela
- Tonga · Mabbanana Aabaneene
- Tswana · Dipanana tsa ga mmemogolo
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 40 free Kiswahili books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Ndizi za bibi” free to read?
Yes. “Ndizi za bibi” 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 “Ndizi za bibi” in?
It is written in Kiswahili. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Kiswahili.
What age is “Ndizi za bibi” for?
It is best for ages 8–11 (Level 4 · Longer paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Ndizi za bibi” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in EkeGusii, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Somali, Afrikaans, Tswana and more.
Who wrote “Ndizi za bibi”?
“Ndizi za bibi” was written by Ursula Nafula and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Kiswahili translation is by Matteo E.
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Get the free app →Credits: Ndizi za bibi — Written by Ursula Nafula; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by Matteo E. Mwita; Read by Lauwo George. Kiswahili, Level 4. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2094). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026