UTingi kunye Nenkomo

Name: UTingi kunye Nenkomo
Availability: InStock
Author: Ingrid Schechter

A free picture book in Xhosa by Ingrid Schechter

Cover of UTingi kunye Nenkomo, a Xhosa picture book

UTingi kunye Nenkomo is a picture book in Xhosa for ages 5–8 by Ingrid Schechter that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Xhosa
Written by: Ingrid Schechter
Illustrated by: Ingrid Schechter
Translated by: Lunathi Ntunzi
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: South Africa
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

UTingi kunye Nenkomo is a short illustrated picture book in Xhosa by Ingrid Schechter, illustrated by Ingrid Schechter and translated by Lunathi Ntunzi. 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 Xhosa. 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 27 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

UTingi wayehlala nomakhulu wakhe. Wayesoloko enakekela iinkomo kunye naye. Ngenye imini amajoni afika. Athatha zonke iinkomo. UTungi kunye nomakhulu babaleka bazimela. Bazimela ehlathini kwade kwasebusuku. Ke ngoku aphinda abuya amajoni. Umakhulu wafihla uTingi phantsi kwamahlahla. Elinye lamajoni labeka inyawo lalo…

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. “UTingi kunye Nenkomo” 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 “UTingi kunye Nenkomo” free to read?

Yes. “UTingi kunye Nenkomo” 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 “UTingi kunye Nenkomo” in?

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

What age is “UTingi kunye Nenkomo” for?

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

Is “UTingi kunye Nenkomo” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “UTingi kunye Nenkomo”?

“UTingi kunye Nenkomo” was written by Ingrid Schechter and illustrated by Ingrid Schechter; the Xhosa translation is by Lunathi Ntunzi.

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Credits: UTingi kunye Nenkomo — Written by Ingrid Schechter; Illustrated by Ingrid Schechter; Translated by Lunathi Ntunzi. Xhosa, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (southafricareads.org), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=7441). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026