Ubena Kuuba ka?

Name: Ubena Kuuba ka?
Availability: InStock
Author: Nina Orange

A free picture book in Kaonde by Nina Orange

Cover of Ubena Kuuba ka?, a Kaonde picture book

Ubena Kuuba ka? is a picture book in Kaonde for ages 2–8 by Nina Orange that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Kaonde
Written by: Nina Orange
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Zambia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ubena Kuuba ka? is a short illustrated picture book in Kaonde by Nina Orange, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo. 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 Kaonde. 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 29 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Amiwa mbena kwimba. Amiwa mbena kusokona. Amiwa mbena kupompwela. Nsongwakazhi ubena kwiolola. Nsongwalume ubena kwita. Amiwa mbena kukumbula. Amiwa mbena kuteleka. Ubena kuba ka? Ubena Kuuba ka? — Written by Nina Orange; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Ruth…

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. “Ubena Kuuba ka?” is also available in:

Reading together in Kaonde

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 Kaonde

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ubena Kuuba ka?” free to read?

Yes. “Ubena Kuuba ka?” 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 “Ubena Kuuba ka?” in?

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

What age is “Ubena Kuuba ka?” for?

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

Is “Ubena Kuuba ka?” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Kikuyu, Turkana, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Ubena Kuuba ka?”?

“Ubena Kuuba ka?” was written by Nina Orange and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Kaonde translation is by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo.

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Credits: Ubena Kuuba ka? — Written by Nina Orange; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Ruth Kapamba, Mwitila Ntabo. Kaonde, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybookszambia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=7292). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026