Ngua sya sukulu

Name: Ngua sya sukulu
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

A free picture book in Kikamba by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

Cover of Ngua sya sukulu, a Kikamba picture book

Ngua sya sukulu is a picture book in Kikamba 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: Kikamba
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Stephen Musyoka
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ngua sya sukulu is a short illustrated picture book in Kikamba by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Stephen Musyoka. 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 Kikamba. 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 30 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Ilinda yii ni yaasa. Vulana ii ni nene. Muvuko uu ni munene. Musivi uu........... Ngovia ii ni nini. Sokisi ni nguvi. Na syaatu ii ni nzau. …syaania nesa. Ngua sya sukulu — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi;…

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. “Ngua sya sukulu” is also available in:

Reading together in Kikamba

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 Kikamba

See all 19 free Kikamba books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ngua sya sukulu” free to read?

Yes. “Ngua sya sukulu” 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 “Ngua sya sukulu” in?

It is written in Kikamba. Pagine has 19 free children’s books in Kikamba.

What age is “Ngua sya sukulu” for?

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

Is “Ngua sya sukulu” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Kikuyu, Kimaasai, Turkana, Somali and more.

Who wrote “Ngua sya sukulu”?

“Ngua sya sukulu” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Kikamba translation is by Stephen Musyoka.

Scan to get the free Pagine reading tracker app

Track reading with the free Pagine app

Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.

Get the free app →

Credits: Ngua sya sukulu — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Stephen Musyoka. Kikamba, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1794). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026