93 Easy to Read Childrens' Books, PreK - 2nd Grade

93 Easy to Read Childrens’ Books, PreK – 2nd Grade

Book Dash is a South African social impact publisher of free books for young children. Its creative professionals volunteer to create new, African storybooks that anyone can freely read, enjoy and distribute.

Tig’s World
If the world is round, why don’t the people on the bottom fall off? Tig’s mom has one answer, and her dad has another. Who’s telling the truth?

Feathered Friends
The oakum boys go for a walk and discover strange new things: lots of different penguins, one special friend, and a very big change. Growing up can be the biggest adventure of all!

The Lost Laugh
Spotty the Hyena has lost his laugh. How did this happen? Where could it be? And can the other animals help him find it?

The Bounce
Black Dog is unhappy. He is lonely and everyone seems to be having more fun. So, he bounced … and bounced … and bounced …

Knights Times
Why do dragons always have to ruin everything? Now Lilly and Thinama need to chase down this troublesome reptile and restore the magical ruby to its rightful place.

My Inside Weather
Sometimes our feelings are hard to talk about, but everyone knows how to talk about the weather.

Circles
Mother Vulture takes Little Vulture on his first flight. On their journey, they see a dying gemsbok. She shows her son that the end of one animal’s life is also the beginning of a new cycle for other creatures.

No!
A certain little girl is in the habit of saying ‘No’. She says it a lot. In fact, all of the time. One day though, she is faced with a very tempting question and can’t help but say ‘Yes!’ Perhaps saying ‘Yes’ isn’t so bad after all.

That’s not Thabi!
Lucy can’t find her sister Thabi. But everywhere she looks there’s a suspicious hippopotamus. Does the hippo know where Thabi is?

Just Like Me
Next week is Rahah’s birthday party. Mum wants to know who she will invite. Will they all fit in?

And Also!
Thabo’s make-believe world has no room for his little sister, Keitu. But she has other ideas!

The Cottonwood Doctor: The Story of James Barry
Margaret was clever and curious. Margaret had big dreams. But 200 years ago a girl could not become a doctor. So she cut off her hair and she put on boy’s clothes. From then onwards, no one knew that Margaret was a girl. She became James Barry.

The Baby Book
Understand your body and how babies are made. Not a storybook, but rather a resource for explaining the start of human life to children. Some illustrations may be inappropriate for children under 12 without guidance and explanations from an adult.

Mina and the Birthday Dress
Mina finds it hard to choose a dress for her special day. After giving Mum a tough time, Mina finally makes a choice.

Mogau’s Gift
A child born with a full set of teeth? He surely is a miracle! Follow his adventure-filled story and find out where Mogau’s gifts take him.

Miss Tiny Chef
Miss Tiny Chef is only eight years old. She does things other little girls wouldn’t do. Armed with a talking mingling stick that shares all its great recipes with her, Kasini stirs up a special surprise meal for mummy.

Nomvundla and the Chilli-Eating Contest
Nomvundla and Soko are off to the Chilli-Eating Contest. Animals come from far and wide to try to win the amazing prize. Who will win and get to take a friend to the Hamba-Hamba Funfair?

Senzo and the Sun
The morning sun creeps over the horizon and peeps through the leaves, waking Senzo. Gogo’s rooster shakes his wings, stretches his neck and crows, Koek-a-loek-a-loo! Join Senzo and the sun as they journey through the day.

What’s in the Pot?
Sam can’t wait for supper. What’s in the pot? Find out and wait and see.

Foxy Joxy Plays a Trick
Foxy Joxy, a sly fox, sells watermelons. One day he has a clever idea. The animals were not happy. What will they do to teach him a lesson?

Thuli, Special and the Secret
Thuli has the cookies. Special has her eye on the cookies. What’s their secret?

Tumi Goes to the Park
Tumi’s first visit to the park. She’s so excited, there are many adventures. She might even make a new friend…

My Special Hair
A story about my special hair. How special it can be. So many types of special hair. Just look around, you’ll see.

The 3 Doof-Doofs
Have you ever wondered what goes doof-doof-doof in the night? This is a noisy bedtime story for a quiet night’s sleep.

Tone’s Big Drop
Tone the raindrop is wondering what’s way down there on the ground. She and her friend Nyunyu go on a journey to find out.

Hello
Lolo has many lovely friends. They are Sun and Moon and Star and Bird too. She would love to introduce them to you.

The Lion Who Wouldn’t Try
All the animals in the jungle are playing, except Lion. Why won’t Lion join in?

Zanele Sees Numbers
There are numbers everywhere, but Zanele can’t see them. Find out why not.

Little Goat
Little Goat wanders off to look for the sweet grass and doesn’t realise how far she is from Mother Goat.

Clever Pig
Pig loves to play! Clever Pig! One day, Pig is gone. Will Pig come back?

Why Is There A Whole In The Wall?
“Why is there a hole in the wall?” Lungisa asks. He gets lots of interesting answers…but he keeps on asking.

The Bisquit Jar Must Fall
Prudence promises Micki and her friends that when they finish cleaning Micki’s room they can have biscuits. But when they are finished, Prudence is nowhere to be found. So Micki and her friends spend the rest of their day finding ways to reach the biscuit jar …

The Rainbow Cloud: The Story of Mkabayi and Mmama
Born a twin that must be sacrificed, Mkabayi faces a bully and scary ghosts. Will the bond with her sister Mmama save her?

Small Bird’s Big Adventure
Small Bird loves the Giant. But where is the Giant? Small Bird goes on an adventure to find her.

Where is Thabo?
Thabo’s family is getting ready for the day and making a big mess as they hurry to get things done. But where is Thabo?

Scared Tumi
What if there’s a monster under my bed?” Tumi is scared. Mama tries to show him that everything is okay.

Unathi and the Dirty, Smelly Beast
Something is following Unathi… To find out what it is, read Unathi and the Dirty, Smelly Beast

Palesa Can Walk!
One-year-old Palesa spends the night before her birthday wide-eyed with excitement. She can’t wait to find out what each of her friends will bring her. But what will be the biggest surprise of all.

My Dream in the Drawer
I once had a dream, so small and light, I kept it in a box. I kept it hidden, safe and sound, in my drawer of socks.

Goldfish Genius
Neo’s new goldfish is a genius. But when Neo goes outside to play, the goldfish tries to follow her and ends up going on an incredible adventure.

The Sea
On a very hot day, a child goes to the sea, where she discovers a game she can play with the waves.

Hugs in the City
This is Jilly. Today, she hugged most of the cats in town! Find out what happened next.

Katiiti’s Song
Every day, Katiiti’s mother calls her with a beautiful song. One day, a crafty gorilla tries to sing as sweetly as her mother.

It Wasn’t Me!
Mom is going out for five minutes. What could go wrong? To find out, read It Wasn’t Me!

What Is It?
What is it? It isn’t like me. Do you think it’s dangerous? To find out, read What is it?

Mrs Penguin’s Perfect Palace
The Penguin family lives on the beach, surrounded by rubbish. Until one day, Mrs Penguin says: we need a house! But how will they build one?

The Best Thing Ever
Muzi loves to build with his toys. But when he leaves them behind to travel to uGogo’s house, he discovers something very special about the world. And he learns something new about himself.

Lara the Yellow Ladybird
A yellow bug in a world of red, Lara the Ladybird just wants to fit in.

Little Sock and the Tiny Creatures
It’s wash day for the Socks, but where has Little Sock gone? Find out by reading this book.

Hippo Wants to Dance
Hippo wants to dance. Won’t anyone dance with her? She just loves to dance with anyone.

Who Is Our Friend?
Rhino, Crocodile, Giraffe and Zebra all have an unlikely friend. Can you guess who he is?

When I Grow Up
I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Can you help me choose?

Springloaded
Neo’s father is an inventor. When he invents a helicopter hat and flies away, Neo decides to make an invention of her own.

The Elephant in the Room
Lindi finds a very large elephant in her room. But is it really there if no one else believes in it?

Shongololo’s Shoes
Shongololo has lost his shoes, and the other animals are NOT being very helpful. Will he ever find them?

Thato’s Birthday Surprise
It is one week until Thato’s Birthday. His mama tells him he will have a big surprise. What will it be?

What If…?
Nandi is wondering all sorts of strange things about the world. And it begins with a simple question: What if…?

Sbu’s Special Shoes
Sbu’s little brother finds Sbu’s favorite shoes. When he tries them on, he discovers something very special about them.

Sima and Siza
Sima wants to be a nurse one day. His favourite game is hospital-hospital. But papa and his friends do not approve. What will change their minds?

There Must be a Rainbow
In this delightful tale of hope, Jabulile’s dream of helping people comes true after a terrible storm hits the Valley.

Sindi and the Moon
Sindi buzzes with colourful songs and dance. Will starting school end all that?

A Beautiful Day
It’s a beautiful day for a picnic. Everyone wants to join in the fun. Why not join with them and have fun too?

I Will Help You
When Mama Heron needs help, Lungile comes to her rescue. Find out about her rescue by reading this book.

Londi: The Dreaming Girl
Londi loves to dream all day. But where will her dreams take her? It is an adventure you won’t want to miss.

Searching for the Spirit of Spring
Nkanyezi can’t wait for the Spring festival, but the people of Ndlovu have lost their spirit of celebration. She must go in search of the spirit of Spring. What will she find?

Whose Button Is This?
Tinny Tim sets out on an adventure to return a lost button. Along the way he goes exploring, has a miraculous escape, and makes new friends.

Why is Nita Upside Down?
Nita’s hanging upside down. Can she turn the right way round? Find out by reading this book.

Rafki’s Style
Rafiki’s style is all his own, but when the Cool Cat Crew struts by, he starts to wonder if it’s good enough.

Grandpa’s Gold
The children are talking about their grandpas. Giraffe’s grandpa can build a skyscraper. Elephant’s grandpa can cook a massive feast. But whose grandpa will give the children the biggest surprise?

Walking Together
A walk to the clinic doesn’t have to be dull, when there are so many wonderful things to see on the way.

Is There Anyone Like Me?
I wonder if there’s another me somewhere in the world… You might be surprised by the answer when you read this book.

How About You?
You don’t need to be alike to be friends. When two very different children meet an unusual creature, it’s a chance to ask, How About You?

Amazing Daisy!
On a little farm lives Daisy, a little chicken who wishes she could fly. All the other chickens laugh at her daily flying practice. But one day something amazing happens …

Little Ant’s Big Plan
This is a story about a little ant with a big plan, and how his love for reading saved the day.

Lory Dory
Lory Dory was born invisible. No one understands that she is real. Until, one day, she finds a way to show them who she is.

A Tiny Seed
In a village on the slopes of Mount Kenya, a little girl worked in the fields with her mother. She worried as she saw the big forests disappearing, but she knew the power of a tiny seed.

Bathtub Safari
Jack’s bath time takes a wild turn as things in his bathtub start to change, and a group of animals becomes part of his adventurous bathtub safari!

Tortoise Finds His Home
Tortoise sets off in search of his house. Along the way, he meets new friends to help him. But the sky is darkening, and lightning flashes in the distance. Will Tortoise find his house in time?

Miss Helen’s Magical World
This is the story of Helen Martins’ battle against darkness, told by one of the creatures she loved best, the wise old owl.

Zanele Situ: My Story
As a young girl Zanele Situ was told that she would never walk again. Being in a wheelchair did not stop her. She worked and trained hard and became a winning athlete on the world stage. This is her story…

Sing the Truth
Learn about the amazing life of a little girl who grew up to use her gift of singing to help bring freedom to South Africa.

Sindiwe and the Fireflies
There once was a girl named Sindiwe Magona. She had a special gift for stories. At night, little Sindiwe’s grandmother told her magical stories about ogres and giants, animals of the forests and the little creatures of the veld. This was Sindiwe’s favourite time. See how she grows up to live out her own adventures and she travels over oceans to change the world with her stories.

Queen of Soweto
Basetsana Kumalo is a beauty queen, but she’s also so much more. She teaches us that true beauty is about having a heart filled with love and generosity. Her story shows us that if you have courage and determination, you can achieve your dreams – whatever they may be.

Graca’s Dream
The inspiring story of Graça Machel, and her dream to instill a love for reading and learning in the children of Mozambique and the rest of Africa.

Together We’re Strong
From the day she was born to the day she died, Albertina Sisulu lived a life of love and sacrifice. A brave girl who rode a horse, she was a blessing to her family, to her community and to South Africa. This story of a unique and powerful woman, who stood up for her beliefs no matter what, will inspire and enchant.

Sizwe’s Smile
Today Sizwe learns that a smile is something you can give away without losing it.

A House for Mouse
Mouse is looking for a new house. Friendly animals offer to share their homes with him. But nothing is right until he finds his own little spot, warm and cosy.

Maddy Moona’s Menagerie
It’s Maddy Moona’s birthday and she really wants a pet! But which silly animal will picky Maddy get?

A Fish and a Gift
Yusuf waits on the beach while Papa pushes out his boat. Surfers, turtles and sharks come from the sea. What will Papa bring back for Yusuf?