Okuvalula oinamwenyo

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

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

Cover of Okuvalula oinamwenyo, a Oshikwanyama picture book

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

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Language: Oshikwanyama
Written by: Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek
Illustrated by: Rob Owen
Translated by: Nelly Ndafyaalako
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Namibia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Okuvalula oinamwenyo is a short illustrated picture book in Oshikwanyama by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek, illustrated by Rob Owen and translated by Nelly Ndafyaalako. 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 Oshikwanyama. 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 32 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Ondjaba imwe otai ka nwa omeva. Eenduli mbali otadi ka nwa omeva. Eengalangobe nhatu noudila vanhe navo otava ka nwa omeva. Eemenye nhano neemhinda hamano otadi ende da yuka komeva. Eengolo heyali otadi tondokele komeva. Omafuma ahetatu neeshi omuwoyi otadi…

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. “Okuvalula oinamwenyo” is also available in:

Reading together in Oshikwanyama

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 Oshikwanyama

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Okuvalula oinamwenyo” free to read?

Yes. “Okuvalula oinamwenyo” 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 “Okuvalula oinamwenyo” in?

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

What age is “Okuvalula oinamwenyo” for?

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

Is “Okuvalula oinamwenyo” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Nigerian Pidgin, Hausa, Kiswahili, Somali, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Okuvalula oinamwenyo”?

“Okuvalula oinamwenyo” was written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek and illustrated by Rob Owen; the Oshikwanyama translation is by Nelly Ndafyaalako.

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Credits: Okuvalula oinamwenyo — Written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek; Illustrated by Rob Owen; Translated by Nelly Ndafyaalako. Oshikwanyama, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybooksnamibia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=9671). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026