Umzimba wami

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

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

Cover of Umzimba wami, a Zulu picture book

Umzimba wami is a picture book in Zulu 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: Zulu
Written by: Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi
Illustrated by: Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Fikile 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

Umzimba wami is a short illustrated picture book in Zulu by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi, illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter and translated by Fikile 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 Zulu. 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

Ngingagijima ngawo. Ngingagxuma ngawo. Ngingadansa ngawo. Ngingabhukuda ngawo. Ngingeqa ngawo. Ngingakhahlela ngawo. Ngingaphunyuka ngawo. Kodwa angisoze ngandiza ngawo. Umzimba wami — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Fikile Simelane; Read…

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 wami” 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 “Umzimba wami” free to read?

Yes. “Umzimba 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 “Umzimba wami” in?

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

What age is “Umzimba wami” for?

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

Is “Umzimba wami” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Umzimba wami”?

“Umzimba wami” was written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi and illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; the Zulu translation is by Fikile Simelane.

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Credits: Umzimba wami — Written by Clare Verbeek, Thembani Dladla, Zanele Buthelezi; Illustrated by Mlungisi Dlamini, Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Fikile Simelane; Read by Beauty Ngwenya. Zulu, 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