PaginePodi,Ntsa le Kgomo
A free picture book in Tswana by Fabian Wakholi
Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo is a picture book in Tswana for ages 5–8 by Fabian Wakholi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Tswana
- Written by
- Fabian Wakholi
- Illustrated by
- Marleen Visser, Ingrid Schechter
- Translated by
- Domitilla Naledi Madi
- Reading level
- ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
- From
- South Africa, Namibia
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY 3.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo is a short illustrated picture book in Tswana by Fabian Wakholi, illustrated by Marleen Visser, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Domitilla Naledi Madi. It is written for ages 5–8 (Grades 1–2) and is graded as Level 2 · First sentences, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Tswana. 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
Podi, Ntsa le Kgomo e ne e le ditsala tse dikgolo. Ka letsatsi lengwe ba tsaya loeto ka thekhisi. Fa ba fitlha kwa bokhutlong jwa loeto lwa bona, mokgweetsi a ba kopa gore ba duele sekoloto sa bone. Kgomo a…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. “Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo” is also available in:
- Afrikaans · Bok, Hond en Koei
- Bemba · Imbushi, Imbwa ne ŋombe
- Dhopadhola · Dyel, Gwok Kodi Dhyaŋ
- English · Goat, Dog and Cow (Colour-in)
- Jamaican Creole · Guot, Daag an Kou
- Kaonde · Mbuzhi, Kabwa ne Ñombe
- Khoekhoegowab · Piris, Arib, tsî Gomas xa
- Kikamba · Mbui, Ngiti na Ng’ombe
- Kimaasai · Enkíné, Oldía ó Enkíténg
- Kiswahili · Mbuzi, Mbwa na Ng’ombe
- Luganda · Wambuzi, Wambwa ne Wante
- Lugbarati (official orthography) · Ndrí ‘ɨ, Òcó ‘ɨ àzɨ́nɨ Tí ‘ɨ
- Lukhonzo · Embene, Embwa, n’Ende
- Lumasaaba · Imbusi, Imbwa ni Ngaafu
- Lunda · Impembi, Kawa na Ng’ombi
- Lunyole · Embusi, Embwa n’Eῃombe
- Luvale · Phembe, Kawa, na Ngombe
- Mauritian Creole · Kabri, Lisien, ek Vas
- Nigerian Pidgin · Goat, dog, and Malu
- Nyanja · Mbuzi, Galu ndi Ng’ombe
- Oshikwanyama · Shikombo, Mbwa nOngobe
- Oshindonga · Oshikombo, ombwa nongombe
- Otjiherero · Ongombo, ombwa nongombe
- Rutooro · Embuzi, Embwa, N’Ente
- Sesotho · Podi, Ntja le kgomo
- Somali · Ri, Eey iyo Sac
- South Ndebele · Imbuzi, Inja Nekomo
- Spanish · La Cabra, el Perro y la Vaca
- Tonga · Mpongo, Mubwa a ŋombe
- Turkana · Akine, Ing’ok Ka Aite
- Xhosa · UBhokhwe, uNja, noNkomo
- Zulu · Imbuzi, Inja Nenkomo
Reading together in Tswana
- 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 Tswana
Boa, katse!
Ke mang a ka balang go fitlha go lesome?
Monna yo motelele thata
Diaparo tsa sekolo
Mmele wame
Khalai o bua le dimela
Koko le Matsianye
Dipanana tsa ga mmemogolo
See all 103 free Tswana books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo” free to read?
Yes. “Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo” 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 “Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo” in?
It is written in Tswana. Pagine has 103 free children’s books in Tswana.
What age is “Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo” for?
It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Nigerian Pidgin, Kiswahili, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana and more.
Who wrote “Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo”?
“Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo” was written by Fabian Wakholi and illustrated by Marleen Visser, Ingrid Schechter; the Tswana translation is by Domitilla Naledi Madi.
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Get the free app →Credits: Podi,Ntsa le Kgomo — Written by Fabian Wakholi; Illustrated by Marleen Visser, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Domitilla Naledi Madi. Tswana, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=6380). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026