African Storybook

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Cornelius Wambi Gulere Illustration - Catherine Groenewald Language - English Level - First words © Text: Ugandan Community Libraries Association; Illustration: African Storybook Initiative 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source www.ugcla.org

author: Cornelius Wambi Gulere. illustrator: Catherine Groenewald.

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A gently comic picture story pairs repeated problems with oversized solutions, then ends with the man living in a forest. The pictures add visual details beyond the brief text.

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Farm animals

Little Zebra Books

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Little Zebra Books Illustration - Marleen Visser Language - English Level - First words © African Storybook Initiative 2018 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Little Zebra Books. illustrator: Marleen Visser.

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A picture-led introduction to animal names, with one label at a time. The selection includes familiar animals as well as a mouse, giving you opportunities to look closely and name what you see together.

Pendo, our cow

Ruth Odondi

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Ruth Odondi Adaptation - Ruth Odondi Illustration - Rob Owen Language - English Level - First words © African Storybook Initiative and Molteno Institute, 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Ruth Odondi. illustrator: Rob Owen. adaptation: Ruth Odondi.

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A gentle everyday story about Ndalo’s routine with Pendo, from feeding and watering her to sharing the milk she provides. The illustrations add details of their home and neighbourhood.

Big blue bus

Mecelin Kakoro

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Mecelin Kakoro Illustration - Mango Tree Language - English Level - First sentences © African Storybook Initiative 2015 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Mecelin Kakoro. illustrator: Mango Tree.

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A child’s eagerly awaited trip is delayed when the village bus fails to appear. A different bus eventually takes him and his mother towards town, though some waiting passengers miss it.

Lion that wanted friendship

Joachim Muhindo

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Joachim Muhindo Illustration - Marleen Visser Language - English Level - First sentences © African Storybook Initiative 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Joachim Muhindo. illustrator: Marleen Visser.

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A short illustrated tale turns a hopeful friendship into a breakdown of trust, then offers a direct lesson about considering whether people can live peacefully together.

The staring game

Mozambican folktale

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Mozambican folktale Illustration - Zito Jorge Ngovene Language - English Level - First sentences © Mozambican Writers 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Mozambican folktale. illustrator: Zito Jorge Ngovene.

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A compact animal tale turns a staring contest into a playful explanation for a familiar rabbit trait. The pictures track the contest and make the snake’s unusual change visible.

Crossing the river

African Storybook

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - African Storybook Illustration - Rachel Greer Language - English Level - First paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2019 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: African Storybook. illustrator: Rachel Greer.

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A wordless, picture-led journey invites readers to follow people and animals crossing a river and to make sense of the changing scenes.

Elephant's nose

Judith Baker, Lorato Trok

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Judith Baker, Lorato Trok Translation - African Storybook Illustration - Wiehan de Jager Language - English Level - First paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2015 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Judith Baker, Lorato Trok. illustrator: Wiehan de Jager. translation: African Storybook.

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This is a brisk animal-origin tale: the elephant's persistent questions lead to a river encounter, and the story ends by linking her stretched nose to elephants' trunks today.

Greedy Hyena

John Nga'sike

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - John Nga'sike Illustration - Zablon Alex Nguku Language - English Level - First paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: John Nga'sike. illustrator: Zablon Alex Nguku.

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A short animal tale about a child trapped by a strange mishap, a mother’s precautions, and Hyena’s deception. The story ends with the animals identifying Hyena and his fall into a fire.

Rain for Nomvula

Letta Machoga

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Letta Machoga Translation - Nolitha Bikitsha Illustration - Marleen Visser Language - English Level - First paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative and Molteno Institute 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Letta Machoga. illustrator: Marleen Visser. translation: Nolitha Bikitsha.

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A short, illustrated story about a child negotiating play and thirst when water is scarce, then enjoying rain despite its interruption of her plans.

Andzani, the astronaut

Arnold Mushwana, Given J Hlongwani

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Arnold Mushwana, Given J Hlongwani Adaptation - African Storybook Illustration - Vidyun Sabhaney Language - English Level - Longer paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2021 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Arnold Mushwana, Given J Hlongwani. illustrator: Vidyun Sabhaney. adaptation: African Storybook.

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This is an illustrated introduction to space, organised around Andzani’s wish to become an astronaut. It combines basic explanations with a hopeful thread of learning and looking ahead.

Hen and Eagle

Ann Nduku

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Ann Nduku Illustration - Wiehan de Jager Language - English Level - Longer paragraphs © Africa Storybook Initiative 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Ann Nduku. illustrator: Wiehan de Jager.

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A lively origin-style tale turns the loss of a shared tool into a lasting conflict between Hen and Eagle, ending with a warning that the chicks understand and answer.

Khayanga and her gourd

Ursula Nafula

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Ursula Nafula Illustration - Catherine Groenewald Language - English Level - Longer paragraphs © African Storybook Initiative 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Ursula Nafula. illustrator: Catherine Groenewald.

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A bereaved child finds comfort in a gourd linked to her late mother. After it breaks, a voice gives instructions that restore it, and Khayanga feels protected again.

Aku the Sun Maker

Aisha Nelson

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Aisha Nelson Translation - Aisha Nelson Illustration - Idowu Abayomi Oluwasegun Language - English Level - Read aloud © African Storybook Initiative 2018 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Aisha Nelson. illustrator: Idowu Abayomi Oluwasegun. translation: Aisha Nelson.

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A magical story about curiosity, loneliness and a girl whose unusual football kick brings the sun back to her town.

How Stories Came to People

Ghanaian folktale

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Ghanaian folktale Illustration - Wiehan de Jager Language - English Level - Read aloud © African Storybook Initiative 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Ghanaian folktale. illustrator: Wiehan de Jager.

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A lively trickster tale about gaining access to stories, with repeated challenges, playful dialogue and a closing celebration of sharing.

Lazy Anansi

Ghanaian folktale

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Ghanaian folktale Illustration - Wiehan de Jager Language - English Level - Read aloud © African Storybook Initiative 2014 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Ghanaian folktale. illustrator: Wiehan de Jager.

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A comic-looking plan to secure several meals turns into a painful mishap when Anansi’s friends pull his web strings together.

Lynne's birthday surprise

Leo Daly

Credits & Licence

Originally published by African Storybook Initiative.

Author - Leo Daly Illustration - Marleen Visser Language - English Level - Read aloud © African Storybook Initiative 2017 Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0 Source www.africanstorybook.org Original source

author: Leo Daly. illustrator: Marleen Visser.

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A warm family birthday story pairs a present-day mishap with repeated chances to think about weight, units and how size can mislead.