Nin aad u dheer

Name: Nin aad u dheer
Availability: InStock
Author: Cornelius Gulere

A free picture book in Somali by Cornelius Gulere

Cover of Nin aad u dheer, a Somali picture book

Nin aad u dheer is a picture book in Somali for ages 5–8 by Cornelius Gulere that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Somali
Written by: Cornelius Gulere
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Abdi Muse
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Nin aad u dheer is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Cornelius Gulere, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by Abdi Muse. It is written for ages 5–8 (Grades 1–2) and is graded as Level 2 · First sentences, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Somali. 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 35 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Yaanbadiisa waxay ahayd mid aad u gaaban. Albaabkiisa waxuu ahaa mid aad u hooseeyo. Sariirtiisa waxay ahayd mid aad u gaaban. Baaskiilkiisa waxuu ahaa mid aad u gaaban. Ninkan aad ayuu u dheeraa! Waxuu sameeyay daab yaanbo aad u dheer.…

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. “Nin aad u dheer” is also available in:

Reading together in Somali

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 Somali

See all 40 free Somali books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Nin aad u dheer” free to read?

Yes. “Nin aad u dheer” 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 “Nin aad u dheer” in?

It is written in Somali. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Somali.

What age is “Nin aad u dheer” for?

It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Nin aad u dheer” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Hausa, Kiswahili, Turkana, Xhosa and more.

Who wrote “Nin aad u dheer”?

“Nin aad u dheer” was written by Cornelius Gulere and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Somali translation is by Abdi Muse.

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Credits: Nin aad u dheer — Written by Cornelius Gulere; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by Abdi Muse; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=918). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026