Nkuku a Joongolo

Name: Nkuku a Joongolo
Availability: InStock
Author: Winny Asara

A free picture book in Tonga by Winny Asara

Cover of Nkuku a Joongolo, a Tonga picture book

Nkuku a Joongolo is a picture book in Tonga for ages 5–11 by Winny Asara that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Tonga
Written by: Winny Asara
Illustrated by: Magriet Brink
Translated by: Vision Milimo
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

Nkuku a Joongolo is a short illustrated picture book in Tonga by Winny Asara, illustrated by Magriet Brink and translated by Vision Milimo. 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 Tonga. 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

Inkuku a Joongolo bakali benizinyina. Nokuba boobo, lyoonse bakali kuyanda kuzundana. Bumwi buzuba bakayeeya kuti baume mupila kutegwa bazyibe mukali akati kabo. Bakaunka kubbuwa lya mupila akutalika musobano wabo. Nkuku yakali alubilo, pele Joongolo lyakali kwiinda. Nkuku yakauma mulpila kule,…

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. “Nkuku a Joongolo” is also available in:

Reading together in Tonga

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 Tonga

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Nkuku a Joongolo” free to read?

Yes. “Nkuku a Joongolo” 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 “Nkuku a Joongolo” in?

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

What age is “Nkuku a Joongolo” for?

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

Is “Nkuku a Joongolo” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Nkuku a Joongolo”?

“Nkuku a Joongolo” was written by Winny Asara and illustrated by Magriet Brink; the Tonga translation is by Vision Milimo.

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Credits: Nkuku a Joongolo — Written by Winny Asara; Illustrated by Magriet Brink; Translated by Vision Milimo. Tonga, 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