Tom omurandise wovipanana

A free picture book in Otjiherero by Humphreys Odunga

Tom omurandise wovipanana is a picture book in Otjiherero for ages 5–8 by Humphreys Odunga that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language

Otjiherero

Written by

Humphreys Odunga

Illustrated by

Zablon Alex Nguku

Translated by

Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri

Reading level

ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences

From

Namibia

Source

Global Storybooks

Licence

CC BY 4.0

Price

Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Tom omurandise wovipanana is a short illustrated picture book in Otjiherero by Humphreys Odunga, illustrated by Zablon Alex Nguku and translated by Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri. 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 Otjiherero. 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 22 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Tom wa tjindi otjimbamba tjovipanana mbya hora. Tom ma i koruveze romarandisiro okukarandisa ovipanana. Ovandu pomatara ve randa ovihape. Posiya kape na umwe ngu randa ovipanana vya Tom. Ovo ve vanga okuranda imbi vyovakazendu. Motjiwaṋa tjetu ovakazendu uriri ombe randisa…

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. “Tom omurandise wovipanana” is also available in:

• Afrikaans · Tom, die piesangverkoper
• Bemba · Tomu kashitisha wa nkonde
• English · Tom the banana seller
• Jamaican Creole · Taam Di Banaana-Man
• Kaonde · Tom Musulu Wamakonde
• Khoekhoegowab · Tommi banana ǁamaxū-aob
• Kiswahili · Tom muuza ndizi
• Lukhonzo · Tom omusuburi w’ameeru
• Lunda · Tom namukakulandisha makondi
• Lunyole · Tom omutundi w’amalafu
• Luvale · Tom mukakulanjisa makonde
• Mauritian Creole · Tom marsan banann
• Nyanja · Tom ogulitsa nthoci
• Oshikwanyama · Tom omulandifi womabanana
• Oshindonga · Tom omulandithi gwomambanana
• Sesotho · Tom ya rekisang dipanana
• Somali · Tom muus iibiyaha
• Spanish · Tom, el vendedor de plátanos
• Swati · Themba umtsengisi wabhanana
• Tonga · Tom Sikusambala Mabbanana
• Tswana · Tom morekisi wa dipanana
• Xhosa · UTom, umthengisi webhanana

Reading together in Otjiherero

• 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 Otjiherero

• Anansi nOndjiviro
• Outi wongeyama womuriro
• Okuvara ovipuka
• Uvari
• Ongwaye ozonḓuu tji ze hi na omainya
• Omurumendu omure tjinene
• Eyuva ndu mba za ponganda okuyenda kotjihuro
• Okutjaara mOzambezi

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Tom omurandise wovipanana” free to read?

Yes. “Tom omurandise wovipanana” 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 “Tom omurandise wovipanana” in?

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

What age is “Tom omurandise wovipanana” for?

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

Is “Tom omurandise wovipanana” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Tom omurandise wovipanana”?

“Tom omurandise wovipanana” was written by Humphreys Odunga and illustrated by Zablon Alex Nguku; the Otjiherero translation is by Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri.

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Credits: Tom omurandise wovipanana — Written by Humphreys Odunga; Illustrated by Zablon Alex Nguku; Translated by Angelika Tjoutuku, Asnath Mundjindjiri; Read by Asnath Mundjindjiri. Otjiherero, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (storybooksnamibia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=13627). CC BY 4.0. · Page updated October 2026