Umzimba wam

Name: Umzimba wam
Availability: InStock
Author: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi

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

Cover of Umzimba wam, a Xhosa picture book

Umzimba wam is a picture book in Xhosa for ages 2–8 by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

📖 Read it free →

Language: Xhosa
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Nokwanda Mbusi
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

Umzimba wam is a short illustrated picture book in Xhosa by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Nokwanda Mbusi. 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 Xhosa. 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

Ndingabaleka ngawo. Ndingaxhuma ngawo. Ndingadanisa ngawo. Ndingaqubha ngawo. Ndingatsiba ngawo. Ndingakhaba ngawo. Ndingasuka ndihambe ngawo. Kodwa andingekhe ndibhabhe ngawo. Umzimba wam — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Nokwanda Mbusi.…

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. “Umzimba wam” is also available in:

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

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Umzimba wam” free to read?

Yes. “Umzimba wam” 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 “Umzimba wam” in?

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

What age is “Umzimba wam” for?

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

Is “Umzimba wam” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Kiswahili, Kikamba, Somali, Zulu, Afrikaans, Sepedi and more.

Who wrote “Umzimba wam”?

“Umzimba wam” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Xhosa translation is by Nokwanda Mbusi.

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Credits: Umzimba wam — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Nokwanda Mbusi. Xhosa, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=1790). CC BY-NC 3.0. · Page updated October 2026