Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo

Name: Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo
Availability: InStock
Author: Tessa Welch

A free picture book in Somali by Tessa Welch

Cover of Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo, a Somali picture book

Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo is a picture book in Somali for ages 5–11 by Tessa Welch that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Somali
Written by: Tessa Welch
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Abdi Muse
Reading level: ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade · Level 3 · First paragraphs
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Tessa Welch, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Abdi Muse. 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 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 31 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Wakhti dheer ka hor, saddex gabdhood ayaa u baxay inay soo guurtan qoryo. Waxay ahayd maalin kulul sidaa darteed waxay aaden webiga si ay ugu soo dabaashaan. Way cayaaren waxayna firdhiyeen kuna dabaasheen biyaha. Si kadis ah, waxay xaqiiqsadeen in…

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 iyo saddexdii timo” 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 “Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo” free to read?

Yes. “Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo” 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 iyo saddexdii timo” in?

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

What age is “Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo” for?

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

Is “Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Kiswahili, EkeGusii, Kikamba, Kimaasai and more.

Who wrote “Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo”?

“Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo” was written by Tessa Welch and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Somali translation is by Abdi Muse.

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Credits: Nozibele iyo saddexdii timo — Written by Tessa Welch; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Abdi Muse; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1880). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026