Nkhuku ndi Bongololo

Name: Nkhuku ndi Bongololo
Availability: InStock
Author: Winny Asara

A free picture book in Nyanja by Winny Asara

Cover of Nkhuku ndi Bongololo, a Nyanja picture book

Nkhuku ndi Bongololo is a picture book in Nyanja for ages 5–11 by Winny Asara that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Nyanja
Written by: Winny Asara
Illustrated by: Magriet Brink
Translated by: Sitwe Benson Mkandawire, David Sani Mwanza
Reading level: ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade · Level 3 · First paragraphs
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Nkhuku ndi Bongololo is a short illustrated picture book in Nyanja by Winny Asara, illustrated by Magriet Brink and translated by Sitwe Benson Mkandawire, David Sani Mwanza. It is written for ages 5–11 (Grades 2–3) and is graded as Level 3 · First paragraphs, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Nyanja. 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 26 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Nkhuku ndi Bongololo anali abwenzi. Koma anali kukonda kupikisana paiwo okha. Tsiku lina, anaganiza kusewela m’pila wa myendo kuti aone ngati katswili ndani. Anayenda kubwalo la m’pila ndipo anayamba masewela awo. Nkhuku inafulumila, koma Bongololo anafulumila kopambana. Nkhuku inapandila kutali…

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. “Nkhuku ndi Bongololo” is also available in:

Reading together in Nyanja

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 Nyanja

See all 105 free Nyanja books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Nkhuku ndi Bongololo” free to read?

Yes. “Nkhuku ndi Bongololo” 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 “Nkhuku ndi Bongololo” in?

It is written in Nyanja. Pagine has 105 free children’s books in Nyanja.

What age is “Nkhuku ndi Bongololo” for?

It is best for ages 5–11 (Level 3 · First paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Nkhuku ndi Bongololo” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Tswana, Sesotho and more.

Who wrote “Nkhuku ndi Bongololo”?

“Nkhuku ndi Bongololo” was written by Winny Asara and illustrated by Magriet Brink; the Nyanja translation is by Sitwe Benson Mkandawire, David Sani Mwanza.

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Credits: Nkhuku ndi Bongololo — Written by Winny Asara; Illustrated by Magriet Brink; Translated by Sitwe Benson Mkandawire, David Sani Mwanza; Read by Christine Mwanza. Nyanja, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=9094). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026