Xamarina ǃgôas

Name: Xamarina ǃgôas
Availability: InStock
Author: Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek

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

Cover of Xamarina ǃgôas, a Khoekhoegowab picture book

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

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Language: Khoekhoegowab
Written by: Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek
Illustrated by: Rob Owen
Translated by: Mattheus Goraseb, Maureen Merley So-Oabes
Reading level: ages 2–8 · preschool, kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 1 · First words
From: Namibia
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Xamarina ǃgôas is a short illustrated picture book in Khoekhoegowab by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek, illustrated by Rob Owen and translated by Mattheus Goraseb, Maureen Merley So-Oabes. 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 Khoekhoegowab. 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 32 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

ǀGui ǂkhoab ge ǁgam-e āǃgû garu. ǀGam ǃnaikha ge ǁgam-e āǃgû garu. ǃNona ǃgarogoman, tsî haka anin tsîn ge ǁgam-e āǃgû garu. Koro impalagu, tsî ǃnani dirigu tsîn ge ǁgam-e āǃgû garu. Hû ǃgoren ge ǁgam-e ǃoa ra ǃkhoe. ǁKhaisa…

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. “Xamarina ǃgôas” is also available in:

Reading together in Khoekhoegowab

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 Khoekhoegowab

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

Frequently asked questions

Is “Xamarina ǃgôas” free to read?

Yes. “Xamarina ǃgôas” 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 “Xamarina ǃgôas” in?

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

What age is “Xamarina ǃgôas” for?

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

Is “Xamarina ǃgôas” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Xamarina ǃgôas”?

“Xamarina ǃgôas” was written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek and illustrated by Rob Owen; the Khoekhoegowab translation is by Mattheus Goraseb, Maureen Merley So-Oabes.

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Credits: Xamarina ǃgôas — Written by Zanele Buthelezi, Thembani Dladla, Clare Verbeek; Illustrated by Rob Owen; Translated by Mattheus Goraseb, Maureen Merley So-Oabes. Khoekhoegowab, Level 1. From Global Storybooks (storybooksnamibia.net), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=9671). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026