Puushi wandi alikwisa?

Name: Puushi wandi alikwisa?
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Puushi wandi alikwisa?, a Bemba picture book

Puushi wandi alikwisa? is a picture book in Bemba 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: Bemba
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Agnes Chileshe Chibamba
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Puushi wandi alikwisa? is a short illustrated picture book in Bemba by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Agnes Chileshe Chibamba. 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 Bemba. 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

Bushe ali mwisamba lya busanshi? Bushe ali pa muulu wa kabati? Bushe ali kunuma ya cipuna? Bushe ali mupepi na iŋungulu? Bushe ali muli bashiketi? Bushe ali panse ya ŋanda? Uyu ali kuno! Puushi wandi alikwisa? — Written by Clare…

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. “Puushi wandi alikwisa?” is also available in:

Reading together in Bemba

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 Bemba

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Puushi wandi alikwisa?” free to read?

Yes. “Puushi wandi alikwisa?” 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 “Puushi wandi alikwisa?” in?

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

What age is “Puushi wandi alikwisa?” for?

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

Is “Puushi wandi alikwisa?” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Puushi wandi alikwisa?”?

“Puushi wandi alikwisa?” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; the Bemba translation is by Agnes Chileshe Chibamba.

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Credits: Puushi wandi alikwisa? — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Agnes Chileshe Chibamba. Bemba, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1825). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026