Sare za shule

Name: Sare za shule
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Sare za shule, a Kiswahili picture book

Sare za shule is a picture book in Kiswahili 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: Kiswahili
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Gladys Njoki, Racheal Njoki
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY-NC 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Sare za shule is a short illustrated picture book in Kiswahili by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Gladys Njoki, Racheal Njoki. 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 Kiswahili. 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 30 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Gauni hili ni refu. Sweta hii ni kubwa. Mkoba huu ni mkubwa. Mkanda huu ni… Kofia hii ni ndogo. Soksi hizi ni fupi. Lakini viatu hivi ni vipya. …vinanitosha vizuri. Sare za shule — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla,…

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. “Sare za shule” is also available in:

Reading together in Kiswahili

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 Kiswahili

See all 100 free Kiswahili books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Sare za shule” free to read?

Yes. “Sare za shule” 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 “Sare za shule” in?

It is written in Kiswahili. Pagine has 100 free children’s books in Kiswahili.

What age is “Sare za shule” for?

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

Is “Sare za shule” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kikuyu, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana, Somali and more.

Who wrote “Sare za shule”?

“Sare za shule” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Kiswahili translation is by Gladys Njoki, Racheal Njoki.

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Credits: Sare za shule — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Gladys Njoki, Racheal Njoki; Read by Lauwo George. Kiswahili, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1794). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026