PagineNozibele an three hairs
A free picture book in Nigerian Pidgin by Tessa Welch
Nozibele an three hairs is a picture book in Nigerian Pidgin for ages 5–11 by Tessa Welch that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Nigerian Pidgin
- Written by
- Tessa Welch
- Illustrated by
- Wiehan de Jager
- Translated by
- Anthonia Ujene
- Reading level
- ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade · Level 3 · First paragraphs
- From
- Nigeria
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY 3.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Nozibele an three hairs is a short illustrated picture book in Nigerian Pidgin by Tessa Welch, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Anthonia Ujene. 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 Nigerian Pidgin. 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 31 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).
How it begins
Before before, three girls go pack wood. Weda hot no be small, so dem come go river go swim. Dem play and swim inside water. At ones dem come see say time don go. Dem come rush go back village.…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. “Nozibele an three hairs” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Nozibele en die drie hare
- Aringati · Ãlíríkí ꞌi ã zíla drĩꞌ̣ bị́ na kî
- Bemba · Nozibele no mushishi utatu
- EkeGusii · Nozibele N’echitukia Isato
- English · Nozibele and the three hairs
- Jamaican Creole · Nuozibele an di chrii schraan a ier
- Kaonde · Nozibele ne Nsuki Isatu
- Khoekhoegowab · Nozibeles tsî ǃnona ǀûgu xa
- Kikamba · Nonzimbele na Nzwĩĩ Itatũ
- Kimaasai · Nozibele ó ilpápít okúni
- Kiswahili · Nozibele na nywele tatu
- Luganda · Nakku n’enviiri essatu
- Lugbarati (official orthography) · Candiru pi dri’biifi na ‘diyi be
- Lukhonzo · Nozibele haima Nesya Nzwiri Isathu
- Lumasaaba · Namutosi ni butsuune butaru
- Lunda · Nozibele na nansuki zhisatu
- Lunyole · Nanjoosi n’efiiri edatu
- Luvale · Nozibele najize jikhambu jitatu
- Mauritian Creole · Nozibele ek bann trwa seve
- Nyanja · Nozibele ndi Tsitsi itatu
- Oshikwanyama · Nozibele neendali nhatu deexwiki
- Oshindonga · Nozibele noondali ndatu dhomafufu
- Otjiherero · Nozibele nozondjise ndatu
- Sepedi · Nozibele le Meriri e Meraro
- Sesotho · Nozibele le meriri e meraro
- Somali · Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo
- Spanish · Nozibele y sus tres cabellos
- Tonga · Nozibele a Masusu Otatwe
- Tswana · Nozibele le Meriri e Meraro
- Xhosa · Unozibele Namanwele Amathathu
- Zulu · uNozibele kanye nezinwele ezintathu
Reading together in Nigerian Pidgin
- 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 Nigerian Pidgin
See all 7 free Nigerian Pidgin books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Nozibele an three hairs” free to read?
Yes. “Nozibele an three hairs” 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 “Nozibele an three hairs” in?
It is written in Nigerian Pidgin. Pagine has 7 free children’s books in Nigerian Pidgin.
What age is “Nozibele an three hairs” for?
It is best for ages 5–11 (Level 3 · First paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Nozibele an three hairs” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, EkeGusii, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Somali and more.
Who wrote “Nozibele an three hairs”?
“Nozibele an three hairs” was written by Tessa Welch and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Nigerian Pidgin translation is by Anthonia Ujene.
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Get the free app →Credits: Nozibele an three hairs — Written by Tessa Welch; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Anthonia Ujene. Nigerian Pidgin, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-nigeria), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1880). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026