Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!

Name: Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!
Availability: InStock
Author: Letta Machoga

A free picture book in Somali by Letta Machoga

Cover of Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!, a Somali picture book

Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo! is a picture book in Somali for ages 2–8 by Letta Machoga that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

📖 Read it free →

Language: Somali
Written by: Letta Machoga
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Abdirizack Yussuf Abdalla
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

Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo! is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Letta Machoga, illustrated by Wiehan de Jager and translated by Abdirizack Yussuf Abdalla. 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 Somali. 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

Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo. Qofkeen u aqrin karaa? Walaasheey waa ay hurudaa. Qofkeen u aqrin karaa? Hooyadey iyo ayeeyadey waa ay mashquulsanyihiin. Qofkeen u aqrin karaa? Aabahey iyo awoowgay waa ay mashquulsanyihiin. Qofkeen u aqrin karaa?Aniga ayaa is ku…

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. “Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!” is also available in:

Reading together in Somali

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 Somali

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!” free to read?

Yes. “Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!” 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 “Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!” in?

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

What age is “Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!” for?

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

Is “Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!” available in other languages?

Yes — the same story is in Hausa, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda and more.

Who wrote “Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!”?

“Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo!” was written by Letta Machoga and illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; the Somali translation is by Abdirizack Yussuf Abdalla.

Scan to get the free Pagine reading tracker app

Track reading with the free Pagine app

Log books, set goals and build a daily reading habit — free on iOS, Android and the web.

Get the free app →

Credits: Waxaan jeclahay in aan aqriyo! — Written by Letta Machoga; Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager; Translated by Abdirizack Yussuf Abdalla; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=10547). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026