REACH Project South Africa
Exciting, African-language storybooks available now!
Storybooks created in African languages can be hard to come by in South Africa – the REACH project supports local publishers to begin to change this.
Room to Read has partnered with Electric Book Works and African Storybook to publish 20 African-language storybooks created by South Africans. All stories target early grade learners in grades R–3. Each book was originally written in Sepedi, siSwati, Xitsonga, Tshivenda or isiZulu, and is available in all of these languages, as well as English, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, Sesotho or Setswana. Anyone can freely download the files, and share and distribute these books.
This project is funded by Results in Education for All Children (REACH) trust fund at the World Bank and the Global Book Alliance, and supported by the Department of Basic Education.
Books
Fish Finds a Friend
Poor Fish is terribly lonely. All he wants is a friend who will love him just as he is. Will he find someone to play with?
- Written by Moyahaba Masela in Sepedi
- Illustrated by Gerda Smit
- Designed by Jennifer Jacobs
- Edited by Katherine Hofmeyr
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Hide and Seek
Mouse drives Cat crazy, because she always wins at hide-and-seek. But one day, Cat comes up with a clever plan.
- Written by Munene Baadjie in Xitsonga
- Illustrated by Joseph Somwe
- Designed by Jess Jardim-Wedephol
- Edited by Anna Stroud
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Langutani's Trick
Langutani and his father are frustrated. The baboons come at night to eat and destroy their maize crops. Can they ever stop the baboons?
- Written by Langutani Christopher Makhubele in Xitsonga
- Illustrated by Stephen Wallace
- Designed by Caitlin Sloane
- Edited by Alison Ziki
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Lion and Warthog
Warthog rescues Lion from the snare, but the ungrateful Lion now wants to eat Warthog. Luckily, clever Rabbit has a plan and he comes to Warthog’s rescue!
- Written by Hlengiwe Ngcongo in isiZulu
- Illustrated by Joseph Somwe
- Designed by Caitlin Sloane
- Edited by Alison Ziki
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Madam Hats can't find her hat
Madam Hats loves her hats. But what will she do when her favourite hat goes missing?
- Written by Makaepeya Christinah Mapatha in Sepedi
- Illustrated by Reshoketswe Motau
- Designed by RJ Palmer
- Edited by Jocelyn Newmarch
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Nomsa’s First Day
Nomsa is very excited for her first day of school. But when she meets Norman, she learns her first lesson in a very unexpected way!
- Written by Nomsa Tshililo in Tshivenda
- Illustrated by Aimee Ayres
- Designed by Tshebetso Ditabo
- Edited by Fiona Wallace
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Nono Finds a Friend
Nono’s aunt forces her to work hard all day. One day Nono finds a tiny girl who promises to help her.
- Written by Busie Maphumulo in isiZulu
- Illustrated by Jess Jardim-Wedepohl
- Designed by Jess Jardim-Wedepohl
- Edited by Jocelyn Newmarch
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Nyamvula is Thirsty
Nyamvula is very thirsty. She can’t find water to drink anywhere. How will she finally fill her bucket?
- Written by Dorothy Mukhese in Tshivenda
- Illustrated by Nompumelelo Mdluli
- Designed by Liam Longland
- Edited by Katherine Hofmeyr
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Pig's Wedding
Pig and Cat adore each other, and they want to get married. But can their love survive when their backgrounds are so very different?
- Written by Makotla Mudau in Sepedi
- Illustrated by Imile Wepener
- Designed by Vivienne Preston
- Edited by Katherine Hofmeyr
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Polecat
Polecat is smelly and rude. He thinks he is better than others. Is he as perfect as he thinks?
- Written by Timothy Mongwe in Siswati
- Illustrated by Reshoketwe Motau
- Designed by Steven Mckimmie
- Edited by Fiona Wallace
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Birthday Present
Kgošigadi struggles to find her friend the perfect birthday present, until she sees something sparkle in the sun.
- Written by Kwena Richard Malebana in Sepedi
- Illustrated by Kholofelo Mothle
- Designed by Daniella van den Heever
- Edited by Anna Stroud
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Greedy Dog
Dog loves his friend Cat, but he loves to eat even more! How long will Cat put up with her greedy friend before something goes wrong?
- Written by Nokuthula Ndlovu in Siswati
- Illustrated by Cclaire Ingram
- Designed by Karma Bosman and Riaan Coetzee
- Edited by Katherine Hofmeyr
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Hungry Ant
Mother Ant’s family is hungry. Where can she possibly find food to feed her hungry children?
- Written by Matamba Azwifaneli Sellinah in Tshivenda
- Illustrated by Sinomonde Ngwane
- Designed by Vivienne Preston
- Edited by Alison Ziki
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Lonely Prickle Tree
None of the other trees want to play with Prickle Tree. Will he find a friend?
- Written by Nghamula Maluleke in Xitsonga
- Illustrated by Subi Bosa
- Designed by Aimee Ayres
- Edited by Jocelyn Newmarch
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Most Beautiful Animal
Zebra thinks she is the most beautiful of all the animals. But what will happen when Chameleon enters the Grand Animal Beauty Contest?
- Written by Hulisani Olga Tshisevhe in Tshivenda
- Illustrated by Imile Wepener
- Designed by Louisa Pieters
- Edited by Jocelyn Newmarch
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Promise
River Nanda is angry with the villagers. Can Cilo the herdboy keep his promise?
- Written by Mandla Ndlovu in isiZulu
- Illustrated by Subi Bosa
- Designed by Jennifer Jacobs
- Edited by Fiona Wallace
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Suitcase
With the big dance contest just days away, Lwazi fears he’ll have nothing to wear. With a little help from his Gogo and the spirit of his Mkhulu, he might just get everything his heart wishes for …
- Written by Mbongeni Nzimande in IsiZulu
- Illustrated by Elizabeth Pulles
- Designed by Leona Ingram, Karma Bosman and Riaan Coetzee
- Edited by Katherine Hofmeyr
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
The Two Naughty Mice
Two little mice love nothing more than getting into trouble. What will they do next?
- Written by Thembekile Felicia Malibe in Siswati
- Illustrated by Gerda Smit
- Designed by Jennifer Jacobs
- Edited by Jocelyn Newmarch
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Tommy the Greedy Cat
Tommy lives on the scraps of food he gets from the Manala family. When the Manala family goes on holiday, how will Tommy survive?
- Written by Dr M.D. Ndove in Xitsonga
- Illustrated by Adri le Roux
- Designed by Jeanne Fleming
- Edited by Alison Ziki
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
Wewe and the Train
Wewe loves the sound of the train. He thinks it calls out his name each time it passes his house. One day, his mother has a surprise for him. What could it be?
- Written by Busile Ndlovu in Siswati
- Illustrated by Shayne Capazorio
- Designed by Leah Prinsloo
- Edited by Alison Ziki
English isiNdebele Sesotho siSwati Setswana Xitsonga Tshivenda isiXhosa isiZulu Sepedi
