Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!

Name: Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!
Availability: InStock
Author: Michael Oguttu

A free picture book in Somali by Michael Oguttu

Cover of Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!, a Somali picture book

Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan! is a picture book in Somali for ages 5–8 by Michael Oguttu that you can read free online in Pagine — no download, no cost.

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Language: Somali
Written by: Michael Oguttu
Illustrated by: Vusi Malindi
Translated by: Abdi Muse
Reading level: ages 5–8 · kindergarten to 2nd grade · Level 2 · First sentences
From: Kenya
Source: Global Storybooks
Licence: CC BY 3.0
Price: Free — read online, nothing to download

About this book

Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan! is a short illustrated picture book in Somali by Michael Oguttu, illustrated by Vusi Malindi and translated by Abdi Muse. 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 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 21 other languages — handy for bilingual families and classrooms (see below).

How it begins

Walaalkeyga yar wuxuu seexdaa waqti dambe. Anigu waxaan soo toosaa xilli hore, maxaa yeelay waa mid aad u wanaagsan! Anigu waxaan ahay kan qorraxda soo bixiyo. “Waxaad tahay xiddigta subaxdayda,” ayuu yidhi Mama. Anigu waan maydhaa, ma u baahni wax…

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. “Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!” 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 “Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!” free to read?

Yes. “Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!” 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 “Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!” in?

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

What age is “Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!” for?

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

Is “Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!” available in other languages?

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

Who wrote “Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!”?

“Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan!” was written by Michael Oguttu and illustrated by Vusi Malindi; the Somali translation is by Abdi Muse.

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Credits: Zama waa mid aad u wanaagsan! — Written by Michael Oguttu; Illustrated by Vusi Malindi; Translated by Abdi Muse; Read by Ibrahim Ahmed. Somali, Level 2. From Global Storybooks (global-asp.github.io/storybooks-kenya), originally from the African Storybook (https://africanstorybook.org/reader.php?id=9984). CC BY 3.0. · Page updated October 2026