Okuvara ovipuka

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

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

Cover of Okuvara ovipuka, a Otjiherero picture book

Okuvara ovipuka is a picture book in Otjiherero 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: Otjiherero
Written by: Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek
Illustrated by: Rob Owen
Translated by: Angelika Tjouṱuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri
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

Okuvara ovipuka is a short illustrated picture book in Otjiherero by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek, illustrated by Rob Owen and translated by Angelika Tjouṱuku, 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 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

Ondjou imwe mai kanwa omeva. Ozombahe mbari maze kanwa omeva. Ozonyati ndatu nouzera une wina mavi kanwa omeva. Ozongoṱu ndano nozombinda hamboumwe maze i komeva. Ozongoro hambombari maze tupuka komeva. Ovisume hambondatu nomahundju muvyu mavi tjaara momeva. Ongeyama imwe mai…

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. “Okuvara ovipuka” 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 “Okuvara ovipuka” free to read?

Yes. “Okuvara ovipuka” 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 “Okuvara ovipuka” in?

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

What age is “Okuvara ovipuka” for?

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

Is “Okuvara ovipuka” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Okuvara ovipuka”?

“Okuvara ovipuka” was written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek and illustrated by Rob Owen; the Otjiherero translation is by Angelika Tjouṱuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri.

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Credits: Okuvara ovipuka — Written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek; Illustrated by Rob Owen; Translated by Angelika Tjouṱuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri; Read by Asnath Mundjindjiri. Otjiherero, 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