PagineSakima se lied
A free picture book in Afrikaans by Ursula Nafula
Sakima se lied is a picture book in Afrikaans for ages 5–11 by Ursula Nafula that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Afrikaans
- Written by
- Ursula Nafula
- Illustrated by
- Peris Wachuka
- Translated by
- Willemien Wannberg
- Reading level
- ages 5–11 · kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd to 5th grade · Level 3 · First paragraphs
- From
- South Africa, Namibia
- Source
- Global Storybooks
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
Sakima se lied is a short illustrated picture book in Afrikaans by Ursula Nafula, illustrated by Peris Wachuka and translated by Willemien Wannberg. It is written for ages 5–11 (Grades 2–3) and is graded as Level 3 · First paragraphs, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Afrikaans. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 19 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).
How it begins
Sakima het saam met sy ouers en vierjarige suster op ‘n ryk man se grond gewoon. Hulle grasdak-hut was aan die einde van ‘n ry bome. Toe Sakima drie jaar oud was, het hy siek geword en sy sig verloor.…Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).
This story in other languages
Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Sakima se lied” is also available in:
- Bemba · Ulwimbo lwakwa Sakima
- English · Sakima's song
- Jamaican Creole · Sakiima Sang
- Kaonde · Lwimbo wakwa Sakima
- Khoekhoegowab · Sakimab di ams
- Kiswahili · Wimbo wa Sakima
- Lukhonzo · Olwimbo lwa Sakima
- Lunda · Mwasu wa Sakima
- Luvale · Mwaso wa Sakima
- Mauritian Creole · Sakima so sante
- Nyanja · Nyimbo ya Sakima
- Oshikwanyama · Eimbilo laSakima
- Oshindonga · Ondjimbo yaSakima
- Otjiherero · Eimburiro ra Sakima
- Somali · Heestii Sakima
- Spanish · La canción de Sakima
- Tonga · Nyimbo ya Sakima
- Tswana · Pina ya ga Sakima
- Xhosa · Iculo lika Sakima
Reading together in Afrikaans
- 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 Afrikaans
Waar is my kat?
Straf
Anansi en Wysheid
Die Heuningwyser se wraak
Swem in die Zambezi
Thuli se sneesdoekie
Lonwabo se resepte
Oppas, Luthando!
See all 143 free Afrikaans books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “Sakima se lied” free to read?
Yes. “Sakima se lied” 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 4.0).
What language is “Sakima se lied” in?
It is written in Afrikaans. Pagine has 143 free children’s books in Afrikaans.
What age is “Sakima se lied” for?
It is best for ages 5–11 (Level 3 · First paragraphs). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Is “Sakima se lied” available in other languages?
Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Somali, Xhosa, Tswana, Lukhonzo and more.
Who wrote “Sakima se lied”?
“Sakima se lied” was written by Ursula Nafula and illustrated by Peris Wachuka; the Afrikaans translation is by Willemien Wannberg.
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Get the free app →Credits: Sakima se lied — Written by Ursula Nafula; Illustrated by Peris Wachuka; Translated by Willemien Wannberg; Read by Willemien Wannberg. Afrikaans, Level 3. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=13244). CC BY 4.0. · Page updated October 2026