Timo

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

Timo is a picture book in Somali 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: Somali
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Anwar Mohamed Dirie
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

Timo is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Anwar Mohamed Dirie. 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 Somali. 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 34 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Thuli timo waxa ay leedahay timo gaaban. Anna waxa ay leedahay timo dheer. Cathu waxa ay leedahay timaha ugu dheer. Zama waa ay tidcatay timaheeda. Aaabe waxa uu leeyahay gar. Zanele waa ay shanleysay timaheeda. Thabo waa uu jaray timihiisa.…

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. “Timo” is also available in:

Reading together in Somali

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 Somali

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Timo” free to read?

Yes. “Timo” 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 “Timo” in?

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

What age is “Timo” for?

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

Is “Timo” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in English, Kiswahili, Kikamba, Kimaasai, Turkana, Zulu and more.

Who wrote “Timo”?

“Timo” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; the Somali translation is by Anwar Mohamed Dirie.

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Credits: Timo — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Anwar Mohamed Dirie; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1746). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026