Tingi and cows

Name: Tingi and cows
Availability: InStock
Author: Ingrid Schechter

A free picture book in Nigerian Pidgin by Ingrid Schechter

Cover of Tingi and cows, a Nigerian Pidgin picture book

Tingi and cows is a picture book in Nigerian Pidgin for ages 5–8 by Ingrid Schechter that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

📖 Read it free →

Language: Nigerian Pidgin
Written by: Ingrid Schechter
Illustrated by: Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Anthonia Ujene
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: Nigeria
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Tingi and cows is a short illustrated picture book in Nigerian Pidgin by Ingrid Schechter, illustrated by Ingrid Schechter and translated by Anthonia Ujene. It is written for ages 5–8 (Grades 1–2) and is graded as Level 2 · First sentences, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Nigerian Pidgin. The book comes from Global Storybooks and is shared under an open CC BY 3.0 licence, which is why it is free to read. The same story is available in 27 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Tingi de stay with grandma. E dey take care of d cow with her. One day soldiers come. Dem come carry the cows go. Tingi and em grandma run come hide. Dem hide for bush till night come. The soldiers…

Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 3.0).

This story in other languages

Reading the same story in two languages helps bilingual children connect words they already know. “Tingi and cows” is also available in:

Reading together in Nigerian Pidgin

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 Nigerian Pidgin

See all 7 free Nigerian Pidgin books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Tingi and cows” free to read?

Yes. “Tingi and cows” 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 3.0).

What language is “Tingi and cows” in?

It is written in Nigerian Pidgin. Pagine has 7 free children’s books in Nigerian Pidgin.

What age is “Tingi and cows” for?

It is best for ages 5–8 (Level 2 · First sentences). Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.

Is “Tingi and cows” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Tingi and cows”?

“Tingi and cows” was written by Ingrid Schechter and illustrated by Ingrid Schechter; the Nigerian Pidgin translation is by Anthonia Ujene.

Scan to get the free Pagine reading tracker app

Track reading with the free Pagine app

Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.

Get the free app →

Credits: Tingi and cows — Written by Ingrid Schechter; Illustrated by Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Anthonia Ujene. Nigerian Pidgin, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-nigeria), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=7441). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026