Ndzilo

A free picture book in Tsonga by Deborah Namugosa, Beatrice Nabune, Alison Tukei, Rose Sabano

Ndzilo is a picture book in Tsonga for ages 2–8 by Deborah Namugosa, Beatrice Nabune, Alison Tukei, Rose Sabano that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Tsonga
Written by: Deborah Namugosa, Beatrice Nabune, Alison Tukei, Rose Sabano
Illustrated by: Rob Owen
Translated by: Candy Hlatshwayo
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ndzilo is a short illustrated picture book in Tsonga by Deborah Namugosa, Beatrice Nabune, Alison Tukei, Rose Sabano, illustrated by Rob Owen and translated by Candy Hlatshwayo. 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 Tsonga. 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 32 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Languta, ndzilo. Ndzilo wa hisa. Ndzilo wa sweka. Ndzilo wu nyika ku kufumela. Ndzilo wu nyika kuvonakala. Languta, ndzilo. Ndzilo wu kahle. Naswona wu na matimba. Ndzilo — Written by Deborah Namugosa, Beatrice Nabune, Alison Tukei, Rose Sabano; Illustrated by…

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. “Ndzilo” is also available in:

Reading together in Tsonga

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 Tsonga

See all 56 free Tsonga books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ndzilo” free to read?

Yes. “Ndzilo” 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 “Ndzilo” in?

It is written in Tsonga. Pagine has 56 free children’s books in Tsonga.

What age is “Ndzilo” for?

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

Is “Ndzilo” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Yoruba, Kiswahili, Kikuyu, Samburu, Somali and more.

Who wrote “Ndzilo”?

“Ndzilo” was written by Deborah Namugosa, Beatrice Nabune, Alison Tukei, Rose Sabano and illustrated by Rob Owen; the Tsonga translation is by Candy Hlatshwayo.

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Credits: Ndzilo — Written by Deborah Namugosa, Beatrice Nabune, Alison Tukei, Rose Sabano; Illustrated by Rob Owen; Translated by Candy Hlatshwayo. Tsonga, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=8565). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026