Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo

Name: Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo
Availability: InStock
Author: Ursula Nafula

A free picture book in Zulu by Ursula Nafula

Cover of Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo, a Zulu picture book

Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo is a picture book in Zulu for ages 5–8 by Ursula Nafula that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Zulu
Written by: Ursula Nafula
Illustrated by: Jesse Pietersen
Translated by: Margaret Nokuthula Zondi
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo is a short illustrated picture book in Zulu by Ursula Nafula, illustrated by Jesse Pietersen and translated by Margaret Nokuthula Zondi. 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 Zulu. 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 24 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

UKhalai lona. Uneminyaka eyisikhombisa. Igama lakhe lichaza ‘olungile’ ngolimi lwakubo, isi Lubukusu. UKhalai uvuka ekuseni akhulume nesihlahla samawolintshi. “Ngiyacela sihlahla samawolintshi, khula ubemkhulu usiphe amawolintshi amaningi avuthiwe.” UKhalai uya esikoleni. Endleleni ukhuluma notshani. “Ngiyakucela tshani, yiba luhlaza kakhulu ungomi.” UKhalai…

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. “Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo” is also available in:

Reading together in Zulu

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 Zulu

See all 145 free Zulu books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo” free to read?

Yes. “Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo” 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 “Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo” in?

It is written in Zulu. Pagine has 145 free children’s books in Zulu.

What age is “Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo” for?

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

Is “Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo”?

“Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo” was written by Ursula Nafula and illustrated by Jesse Pietersen; the Zulu translation is by Margaret Nokuthula Zondi.

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Credits: Ukhalai Ukhuluma Nezitshalo — Written by Ursula Nafula; Illustrated by Jesse Pietersen; Translated by Margaret Nokuthula Zondi; Read by Beauty Ngwenya. Zulu, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=13545). CC BY 4.0. · Page updated October 2026