Unafanya nini?

Name: Unafanya nini?
Availability: InStock
Author: Nina Orange

A free picture book in Kiswahili by Nina Orange

Cover of Unafanya nini?, a Kiswahili picture book

Unafanya nini? is a picture book in Kiswahili for ages 2–8 by Nina Orange that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Kiswahili
Written by: Nina Orange
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Matteo E
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Unafanya nini? is a short illustrated picture book in Kiswahili by Nina Orange, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Matteo E. 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 Kiswahili. 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 29 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Ninaimba. Anapunga mkono. Ninapiga makofi. Anajinyoosha. Anaita. Ninaitika. Anasikiliza. Wewe unafanya nini? Unafanya nini? — Written by Nina Orange; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Matteo E. Mwita; Read by Lauwo George. Kiswahili, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda),…

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. “Unafanya nini?” is also available in:

Reading together in Kiswahili

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 Kiswahili

See all 40 free Kiswahili books by reading level → · Books in 200+ languages · 👩‍🏫 Assign this book to a class

Frequently asked questions

Is “Unafanya nini?” free to read?

Yes. “Unafanya nini?” 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 “Unafanya nini?” in?

It is written in Kiswahili. Pagine has 40 free children’s books in Kiswahili.

What age is “Unafanya nini?” for?

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

Is “Unafanya nini?” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Kikuyu, Turkana, Somali, Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans and more.

Who wrote “Unafanya nini?”?

“Unafanya nini?” was written by Nina Orange and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Kiswahili translation is by Matteo E.

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Credits: Unafanya nini? — Written by Nina Orange; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Matteo E. Mwita; Read by Lauwo George. Kiswahili, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-uganda), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=7292). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026