PagineuLonwabo
A free picture book in Xhosa by Mihlali Kumalo
uLonwabo is a picture book in Xhosa for ages 2–8 by Mihlali Kumalo that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.
📖 Read it free →- Language
- Xhosa · isiXhosa
- Written by
- Mihlali Kumalo
- Illustrated by
- Sarah-Rose de Villiers
- Reading level
- ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade
- From
- South Africa
- Source
- Book Dash
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0
- Price
- Free — read online, nothing to download
About this book
uLonwabo is a short illustrated picture book in Xhosa by Mihlali Kumalo, illustrated by Sarah-Rose de Villiers. It is written for ages 2–8, so it works as a read-aloud for little ones and as practice for children learning to read in Xhosa. The book comes from Book Dash and is shared under an open CC BY 4.0 licence, which is why it is free to read.
How it begins
ULonwabo wayeyinkwenkwana eneminyaka elishumi. uLonwabo — Written by Mihlali Kumalo; Illustrated by Sarah-Rose de Villiers; Designed by Zandile “Maxet” Makina; Edited by Linda Nelani. isiXhosa. Published by Book Dash (ISBN 978-1-928377-20-7). CC BY 4.0. Source: https://bookdash.org/books/ulonwabo/Opening lines quoted from the openly licensed book (CC BY 4.0).
Reading together in Xhosa
- 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 Xhosa
Ilifu loMnyama: Ibali likaMkabayi Mmama
Kufanele ukuba kubekho umnyama
Ukucoca Okukhulu
Owu Mvula Yiza
Istayile sika Rafiki
USindiwe kunye neenkanyezi
Ibhotwe eliFezekileyo likaNksk Nombombiya
Ingoma kaKatiiti
See all 145 free Xhosa books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩🏫 Assign this book to a class
Frequently asked questions
Is “uLonwabo” free to read?
Yes. “uLonwabo” 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 “uLonwabo” in?
It is written in Xhosa (isiXhosa). Pagine has 145 free children’s books in Xhosa.
What age is “uLonwabo” for?
It is best for ages 2–8. Younger children can enjoy it read aloud.
Who wrote “uLonwabo”?
“uLonwabo” was written by Mihlali Kumalo and illustrated by Sarah-Rose de Villiers.
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Get the free app →Credits: uLonwabo — Written by Mihlali Kumalo; Illustrated by Sarah-Rose de Villiers; Designed by Zandile “Maxet” Makina; Edited by Linda Nelani. isiXhosa. Published by Book Dash (ISBN 978-1-928377-20-7). CC BY 4.0. Source: https://bookdash.org/books/ulonwabo/ · Page updated October 2026