Read with Wimpy – Local Storybooks

Mother and child reading a book together

Welcome to our digital library

Our stories are filled with familiar scenes and faces, written in all 11 official languages just for your little one. Scroll below to read along, or watch the animated tale unfold on your screen.

CROCODILE TEARS

Next to a brother with muscles and another with a voice to melt hearts, Jabu seems a bit out of place. But when a spell is cast on Princess Mbali, Jabu’s special gift takes centre stage.

A young girl with an afro looking at a pair of sunglasses.

FATIMA AND THE MAGIC SUNGLASSES

Fatima's life takes a miraculous turn when a mysterious woman gifts her a pair of magical sunglasses, granting her three wishes. Watch her life turn around as she dodges Ivy, the local troublemaker, and helps her entire community move up in life.

MOLEBI’S GIFT

Molebi reads minds, and his cousin Dimpho dances up a storm. Dimpho gets jealous of Molebi's popularity and casts a spell on him. Their bond is ripped apart until a magical encounter teaches them the true value of their talents.

A young man and woman wearing traditional Sotho blankets in front of a mud hut.

A sparrow and a nightbird on a tree branch.

THE SPARROW AND THE HORNED NIGHTBIRD

A sparrow is granted five wishes by the magical Horned Nightbird. He uses them to adopt the qualities of other birds he admires but ends up complicating his life and losing his flock. The experience teaches him that self-love and acceptance are the real keys to happiness.

TREVOR THE HERO

Trevor lives in a magical village with a problem: a giant is stealing everything. When he trades his pet rhinocorn for what seems to be a worthless seed, he finds himself on a risky journey up a gigantic tree.

A young boy in a cape next to a rhino that looks like a unicorn.

THE HADEDA AND THE STORM

Hadeda can’t help but feel dull and boring compared to the bright weaver bird and the amusing monkey. Before the day is done, Hadeda does something super special to brighten a gloomy day.

A flash of lightning against a grey sky.

A yellow bird flying towards a brown baboon against a white background.

A brown hadedah spreading its wings against a white background.

THE BABOON, THE DASSIE AND THE BERRIES

In Cape Point, animals rely on Grandmother Rain for nourishment. When one friend gets greedy, it's up to the others to fix the situation and regain Grandmother Rain's favour.

A brown baboon with red cherries in its hands.

HUAN LUCKY FISH

Huan can’t stop comparing himself to his friend, Fly – a majestic seahorse with a golden crown on her head, bright patterns on her chest and glowing green skin. So, Huan hatches a plan to get a magic gold coin that will transform him into a special sea creature like no other.

The purple Octopus from Huan Lucky Fish putting a hook in mouth of a sea creature.

CHICHARITO

Chicharito is an original South African short story by Sihle’iSipho Nontshokweni and tells the tale of a worker ant that leaves her colony in search of endless fun. Chicharito soon learns that all that glitters is not gold and that there’s no such thing as a free lunch!

Close-up of the brown praying mantis called Chicharito.

A young man with purple skin dressed in a blue cloth covered with tribal patterns.

THOKOZANI THE ELAND

Thokozani lives a quiet life with his family and a host of other animals in his habitat. When a series of fierce veld fires suddenly sweep through his community, the task of talking to the humans who sparked the blaze falls on his shoulders.

NAUGHTY NOGWAJA

Meet Nogwaja, a rabbit who just can't help but stir up trouble. His latest adventure involves a group of hunters who are not too pleased with his mischievous behaviour.

A brown rabbit with a red shirt playing the flute.

HOW THE OWL GOT ITS SOUND

How the Owl Got its Sound is a story about a brave boy who speaks to the spirits of the forest and finds a way to save his village.

A close up of a purple owl character from a Read with Wimpy storybook.

HOW THE ELEPHANTS SAVED SUMMER

This is the tale of Esi, a young elephant who forms an unlikely friendship with a baobab tree. Despite elephants being known for damaging baobabs to access stored water, Esi ends up becoming the tree's best friend and the hero of summer.

A purple elephant walking side by side with a brown elephant and blue bird.

Image of old woman from local storybook with hands on her hips.

NANANA BOSELESELE

Nanana Boselesele, a wise and brave woman, leaves her children at home one day and they are captured by Sondonzima the elephant. Determined, Nanana sets out to rescue them, showing that courage and wit can save the day.

MONKEY AND CROCODILE

Monkey & Crocodile delivers a heartfelt lesson on the importance of honesty in friendships, while inspiring us to trust our own cleverness and courage to face challenges head-on.

A purple monkey and green baboon with their hands crossed.

JACKAL AND WOLF

Jackal can't help himself; he's back with more pranks for his cousin Wolf, and this time he's armed with a delicious milk tart.

A purple jackal with a striped T-shirt running to the left.

A chicken in mid-flight. The chicken is a character from a South African storybook.

Only 12% of grade 4 learners in SA can truly understand what they read. Yet, a child who learns in their mother tongue is more engaged, understanding, and passionate about learning. Unfortunately, just 2% of our children's books are in local languages, leaving a world of storytelling inaccessible to our young ones.

We're changing that.

Together with Ethnikids, we’re bringing the magic of storytelling to every child in their own language. Because every child deserves to be enthralled by stories that resonate with their heart, fostering a lifelong love for reading.

Read with Kids and Ethnikids