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Mali’s Friend

Mali likes to play alone. Gogo wants him to play with others. Mali tries, but he just does not enjoy himself. Until Lesedi comes along…

Suggested age: 4–6岁 · Reading level L2 · 14 illustrated pages

Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 1, English text included

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This book can be read page by page, heard with synthetic Voice 7 narration, downloaded and printed. Enable JavaScript for the interactive reader, or open the story pages below.

Mali likes to play alone. Gogo wants him to play with others. Mali tries, but he just does not enjoy himself. Until Lesedi comes along…

Read all 14 story pages
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 1, English text included
Mali’s Friend
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 2, English text included
Mali enjoys playing by himself. He likes to be a pilot, swooshing around the house with his paper plane. Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Then a taxi driver, hooting around the yard with his wire car. Beep! Beep! Beeeeeeeeeeep! Mali never goes out to play with others.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 3, English text included
Gogo says, "Mali go out and play ibhola with the others." But Mali does not enjoy himself.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 4, English text included
Gogo says, "Mali, look, the children are playing ibhathi. Go out and play." Mali tries again. But he does not enjoy himself.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 5, English text included
Gogo tries one more time. "Mali, go out and play maphonselana with the others." Once again, Mali tries. He does not enjoy himself.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 6, English text included
There is a knock on the door. Ko! Ko! Ko! It's Lesedi from next door. She has come to play. Mali is shy. He does not know how to play with Lesedi. Lesedi asks him if he would like to make mud pies and cakes.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 7, English text included
They make mud pies and cakes and even pancakes and biscuits. Mali enjoys himself very much.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 8, English text included
Lesedi comes back again. She shows Mali how to play ingedo. Mali has trouble throwing, moving and catching the stones. But he gets better at the game. Mali enjoys himself very much.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 9, English text included
Mali then shows Lesedi how to make a paper plane. They go all around the house swooshing their planes. Oh! They laugh a lot!
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 10, English text included
Mali asks Lesedi, "Can I come to your house to play tomorrow?" "Of course you can!" she laughs.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 11, English text included
The next morning, after gobbling down his porridge, Mali takes out his wire car.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 12, English text included
"Where are you going, Mali?" asks Gogo.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 13, English text included
"I am going out to play with Lesedi!" he laughs.
Mali’s Friend — original illustrated page 14, English text included

Creators and open license

Written by
Rujeko Moyo
Illustrated by
Ellen Heydenrych
Created by
Rox Jaden Palmer (Designer); Ellen Heydenrych (Illustrator); Rujeko Moyo (Writer); Margot Bertelsmann (Editor)

Source: Book Dash
Original: Mali’s Friend from Book Dash
License: CC BY 4.0

Original illustrated spreads and embedded English story text preserved; website layout and printable PDF assembled by Little Leaf. Age, level, theme and recommendation are editorial suggestions. Web and printable layout adapted by Little Leaf. Age and reading-level suggestions are editorial. Original stories and artwork belong to their credited creators. Website narration uses the selected synthetic Voice 7.