Nzunaone ngokolo.

Name: Nzunaone ngokolo.
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

A free picture book in Kisukuma by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

Cover of Nzunaone ngokolo., a Kisukuma picture book

Nzunaone ngokolo. is a picture book in Kisukuma for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Kisukuma
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Edgar & Nicholaus Ngelela
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Tanzania
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Nzunaone ngokolo. is a short illustrated picture book in Kisukuma by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Edgar & Nicholaus Ngelela. It is written for ages 2–8 (Nursery–Year 1) and is graded as Level 1 · First words, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Kisukuma. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY-NC 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 33 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Nabhooka na kúbhacha mootó. Nalesebya minzé. Nalebhuta mng’hwi. Nalesegaja ng’homba mnúngu. Nalehagula mnumba. Naloja kiseme. Alibhole nalebheja milemo ho gwitumaa… wakati onzunawane alighusha. Nzunaone ngokolo. — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter;…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY-NC 3.0).

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Nzunaone ngokolo.” is also available in:

Reading together in Kisukuma

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 Kisukuma

See all 4 free Kisukuma books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Nzunaone ngokolo.” free to read?

Yes. “Nzunaone ngokolo.” 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-NC 3.0).

What language is “Nzunaone ngokolo.” in?

It is written in Kisukuma. Pagine has 4 free children’s books in Kisukuma.

What age is “Nzunaone ngokolo.” for?

It is best for ages 2–8 (Level 1 · First words). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Nzunaone ngokolo.” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana, Somali and more.

Who wrote “Nzunaone ngokolo.”?

“Nzunaone ngokolo.” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Kisukuma translation is by Edgar & Nicholaus Ngelela.

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Credits: Nzunaone ngokolo. — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Edgar & Nicholaus Ngelela. Kisukuma, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-tanzania), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2896). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026