Umusaani umuleeyi naabi

Name: Umusaani umuleeyi naabi
Availability: InStock
Author: Cornelius Gulere

A free picture book in Lumasaaba by Cornelius Gulere

Cover of Umusaani umuleeyi naabi, a Lumasaaba picture book

Umusaani umuleeyi naabi is a picture book in Lumasaaba for ages 5–8 by Cornelius Gulere that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Lumasaaba
Written by: Cornelius Gulere
Illustrated by: Catherine Groenewald
Translated by: Cornelius Wekunya
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: Uganda
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Umusaani umuleeyi naabi is a short illustrated picture book in Lumasaaba by Cornelius Gulere, illustrated by Catherine Groenewald and translated by Cornelius Wekunya. 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 Lumasaaba. 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 35 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Imbako yaba inyiimbi naabi. Kumulyaango kwaba mwiimbi naabi. Butuunde bwaba bwiimbi naabi. Ikaali yaaba nyiimbi naabi. Umusaani uyo aaba umuleeyi naabi! Aabeetsa kumwiini kwe mbako kumuleeyi naabi. Aabeetsa kimihaango kimileeyi naabi. Akhola butuunde buleeyi naabi. Aakula ikaali indeeyi naabi. Ekhala…

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. “Umusaani umuleeyi naabi” is also available in:

Reading together in Lumasaaba

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 Lumasaaba

See all 16 free Lumasaaba books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Umusaani umuleeyi naabi” free to read?

Yes. “Umusaani umuleeyi naabi” 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 “Umusaani umuleeyi naabi” in?

It is written in Lumasaaba. Pagine has 16 free children’s books in Lumasaaba.

What age is “Umusaani umuleeyi naabi” for?

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

Is “Umusaani umuleeyi naabi” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Umusaani umuleeyi naabi”?

“Umusaani umuleeyi naabi” was written by Cornelius Gulere and illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; the Lumasaaba translation is by Cornelius Wekunya.

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Credits: Umusaani umuleeyi naabi — Written by Cornelius Gulere; Illustrated by Catherine Groenewald; Translated by Cornelius Wekunya. Lumasaaba, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=918). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026