Omubiri Gwange

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

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

Cover of Omubiri Gwange, a Lusoga picture book

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

📖 Read it free →

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

About this book

Omubiri Gwange is a short illustrated picture book in Lusoga by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Cornelius Gulere. 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 Lusoga. 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 29 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Nsobola okulumuka nagwo. Nsobola okwedalya nagwo. Nsobola okukina nagwo Nsobola okuwuga nagwo. Nsobola okubuuka nagwo. Nsobola okusamba nagwo. Nsobola okwesega nagwo. Ate tisobola kuguluka nagwo. Omubiri Gwange — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini,…

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. “Omubiri Gwange” is also available in:

Reading together in Lusoga

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 Lusoga

See all 11 free Lusoga books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Omubiri Gwange” free to read?

Yes. “Omubiri Gwange” 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 “Omubiri Gwange” in?

It is written in Lusoga. Pagine has 11 free children’s books in Lusoga.

What age is “Omubiri Gwange” for?

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

Is “Omubiri Gwange” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Omubiri Gwange”?

“Omubiri Gwange” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Lusoga translation is by Cornelius Gulere.

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Credits: Omubiri Gwange — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Cornelius Gulere. Lusoga, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1790). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026