PagineNyimbo ya Sakima
A free picture book in Nyanja by Ursula Nafula
Nyimbo ya Sakima is a picture book in Nyanja for ages 5–11 by Ursula Nafula that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Nyanja
- Written by
- Ursula Nafula
- Illustrated by
- Peris Wachuka
- Translated by
- Sitwe Benson Mkandawire
- 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 4.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Nyimbo ya Sakima is a short illustrated picture book in Nyanja by Ursula Nafula, illustrated by Peris Wachuka and translated by Sitwe Benson Mkandawire. 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 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 19 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).
How it begins
Sakima anali kukhala ndi makolo ake ndi mlongo wake wa zaka zakubadwa zinai. Anakhala pa malo a munthu wolemela, Nyumba yao inali ya udzu pothela pa mzele wa mitengo. Pamene Sakima anali ndi zaka zitatu, anadwala ndipo anakhala wa khungu.…Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).
This story in other languages
Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Nyimbo ya Sakima” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Sakima se lied
- Bemba · Ulwimbo lwakwa Sakima
- English · Sakima's song
- Jamaican Creole · Sakiima Sang
- Kaonde · Lwimbo wakwa Sakima
- Khoekhoegowab · Sakimab di ams
- Kiswahili · Wimbo wa Sakima
- Lukhonzo · Olwimbo lwa Sakima
- Lunda · Mwasu wa Sakima
- Luvale · Mwaso wa Sakima
- Mauritian Creole · Sakima so sante
- Oshikwanyama · Eimbilo laSakima
- Oshindonga · Ondjimbo yaSakima
- Otjiherero · Eimburiro ra Sakima
- Somali · Heestii Sakima
- Spanish · La canción de Sakima
- Tonga · Nyimbo ya Sakima
- Tswana · Pina ya ga Sakima
- Xhosa · Iculo lika Sakima
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
Mfumu Yonenepa Galu woonda
Thabo alikuti?
Ndikonda kuwelenga!
Tsitsi
Thupi Langa
Khalai alankhula ku Zomela
Kambewu kangóno: Nkhani ya Wangari Maathai
Nthochi za Agogo
See all 105 free Nyanja books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Nyimbo ya Sakima” free to read?
Yes. “Nyimbo ya Sakima” 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 4.0).
What language is “Nyimbo ya Sakima” in?
It is written in Nyanja. Pagine has 105 free children’s books in Nyanja.
What age is “Nyimbo ya Sakima” for?
It is best for ages 5–11 (Level 3 · First paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Nyimbo ya Sakima” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Somali, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Tswana and more.
Who wrote “Nyimbo ya Sakima”?
“Nyimbo ya Sakima” was written by Ursula Nafula and illustrated by Peris Wachuka; the Nyanja translation is by Sitwe Benson Mkandawire.
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Get the free app →Credits: Nyimbo ya Sakima — Written by Ursula Nafula; Illustrated by Peris Wachuka; Translated by Sitwe Benson Mkandawire; Read by Christine Mwanza. Nyanja, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=13244). CC BY 4.0. · Page updated October 2026