Okutereka

Name: Okutereka
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Okutereka, a Otjiherero picture book

Okutereka is a picture book in Otjiherero 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: Otjiherero
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Namibia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Okutereka is a short illustrated picture book in Otjiherero by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri. 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 Otjiherero. 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 30 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Ami me tatura ovihakautu. Ami me kondo otjikora. Ami me pere ozombaruru. Ami me koho omakunde. Ami me kondo okambakuna. Ami me kondo ombowa. Mama ma kondo ozonyanga. Omeva wozonyanga ye ndji ririsa tji maze kondwa. Okutereka — Written by…

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. “Okutereka” is also available in:

Reading together in Otjiherero

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 Otjiherero

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Okutereka” free to read?

Yes. “Okutereka” 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 “Okutereka” in?

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

What age is “Okutereka” for?

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

Is “Okutereka” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Okutereka”?

“Okutereka” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter; the Otjiherero translation is by Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri.

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Credits: Okutereka — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Kathy Arbuckle, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri; Read by Angelika Tjoutuku. Otjiherero, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybooksnamibia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=2795). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026