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Ukuphi ukatsu wami?

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

Cover of Ukuphi ukatsu wami?, a South Ndebele picture book

Ukuphi ukatsu wami? is a picture book in South Ndebele 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
South Ndebele · isiNdebele
Written by
Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by
Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by
Khanyisile mtungwa, Nolwazi simelane
Reading level
ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From
South Africa
Source
Global Storybooks
Licence
CC BY-NC 3.0
Price
Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Ukuphi ukatsu wami? is a short illustrated picture book in South Ndebele by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Khanyisile mtungwa, Nolwazi simelane. 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 South Ndebele. 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 29 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Kghani ungaphasi kombhede? Kghani ungaphezu kwekasi? Kghani ungemva kwesofa? Kghani uhlanu komgqomu weenzibi? Kghani ungaphakathi komantji? Kghani ungaphandle? Nangu yena! Ukuphi ukatsu wami? — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by…

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. “Ukuphi ukatsu wami?” is also available in:

Reading together in South Ndebele

More free books in South Ndebele

See all 69 free South Ndebele books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Ukuphi ukatsu wami?” free to read?

Yes. “Ukuphi ukatsu wami?” 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 “Ukuphi ukatsu wami?” in?

It is written in South Ndebele (isiNdebele). Pagine has 69 free children’s books in South Ndebele.

What age is “Ukuphi ukatsu wami?” for?

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

Is “Ukuphi ukatsu wami?” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Ukuphi ukatsu wami?”?

“Ukuphi ukatsu wami?” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; the South Ndebele translation is by Khanyisile mtungwa, Nolwazi simelane.

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Credits: Ukuphi ukatsu wami? — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Bronwen Heath, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Khanyisile mtungwa, Nolwazi simelane. isiNdebele, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1825). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026