Nguo cia thukuru

Name: Nguo cia thukuru
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Nguo cia thukuru, a Kikuyu picture book

Nguo cia thukuru is a picture book in Kikuyu for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Kikuyu
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Naomi Kamau
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

Nguo cia thukuru is a short illustrated picture book in Kikuyu by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Naomi Kamau. 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 Kikuyu. 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

Nguo nĩ ndaihu. Burana nĩ nene. Mũhuko nĩ mũnene. Mũcibi nĩ… Ngũbia ĩno nĩ nini. Thogithi nĩ nguhĩ No ĩratũ nĩ njerũ …nĩ ciraigana wega. Nguo cia thukuru — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi…

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. “Nguo cia thukuru” is also available in:

Reading together in Kikuyu

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 Kikuyu

See all 5 free Kikuyu books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Nguo cia thukuru” free to read?

Yes. “Nguo cia thukuru” 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 “Nguo cia thukuru” in?

It is written in Kikuyu. Pagine has 5 free children’s books in Kikuyu.

What age is “Nguo cia thukuru” for?

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

Is “Nguo cia thukuru” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Nguo cia thukuru”?

“Nguo cia thukuru” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Kikuyu translation is by Naomi Kamau.

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Credits: Nguo cia thukuru — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Naomi Kamau. Kikuyu, 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