Tazama wanyama

Name: Tazama wanyama
Availability: InStock
Author: Jenny Katz

A free picture book in Kiswahili by Jenny Katz

Cover of Tazama wanyama, a Kiswahili picture book

Tazama wanyama is a picture book in Kiswahili for ages 2–8 by Jenny Katz that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Kiswahili
Written by: Jenny Katz
Illustrated by: Sandy Campbell
Translated by: Caren Echesa
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

Tazama wanyama is a short illustrated picture book in Kiswahili by Jenny Katz, illustrated by Sandy Campbell and translated by Caren Echesa. 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 25 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Tazama wanyama. Ng’ombe anasema, “Moo.” Mbuzi anasema, “Mee, mee.” Farasi anasema, “Nei.” Nguruwe anasema, “Ngruu.” Kuku anasema, “Ko, ko, ko.” Mbwa anasema, “Wouh, wouh.” Mkulima anasema, “Nyamaza!” Tazama wanyama — Written by Jenny Katz; Illustrated by Sandy Campbell; Translated by…

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. “Tazama wanyama” 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 “Tazama wanyama” free to read?

Yes. “Tazama wanyama” 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 “Tazama wanyama” in?

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

What age is “Tazama wanyama” for?

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

Is “Tazama wanyama” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Hausa, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Tazama wanyama”?

“Tazama wanyama” was written by Jenny Katz and illustrated by Sandy Campbell; the Kiswahili translation is by Caren Echesa.

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Credits: Tazama wanyama — Written by Jenny Katz; Illustrated by Sandy Campbell; Translated by Caren Echesa; 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=1221). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026