Little LeafLibrary
Create a picture book ↗
LITTLE LEAF LIBRARY · A free, open bookshelf

A little leaf.
A world of stories.

From first sounds to first independent reads.
Find a story to share, then print it and bring it home.

Discover a story ↗
✓ Chinese & English stories✓ Free to read✓ Download & print
✳
Featured story illustration
Start with a little story today.
Let’s read ↗❧
AI picture-book studio

Love a good story? Create your own.

Bring your imagination to our picture-book creation platform.

Visit the story studio ↗Opens in a new tab
GROW WITH STORIES

Stories for every stage of growing up

Choose by age and reading confidence.

Ages are our editorial suggestions, not publisher ratings. Reading abilities vary.

A STORY FOR EVERY LITTLE READER

Find your next favorite book

Loading stories…
FROM SCREEN TO LITTLE HANDS

Make stories part of life.
Take them home, too.

Explore together on screen, or turn a few sheets of paper into a storybook of your own.

01

Find a story your child loves

Age is a starting point; interest matters most. Let children pick an illustration and describe what they see.

02

Read together, then talk

Turn pages online and switch between Chinese and English. Every book includes a conversation prompt.

03

Print the whole story with credits

Choose “Print book” in the reader. Use A4 landscape, fit to page, and disable headers and footers. You can also print the original PDF.

OPEN BOOKS, CLEAR CREDITS

Free stories. Credit where it belongs.

Each reading page records its creators, source and applicable license or public-domain declaration. Most books use CC BY; one catalogue entry carries a publisher Public Domain Mark declaration. Check the individual edition before sharing, adapting or reusing it. Site layouts and synthetic narration are described separately.

Books come from Book Dash, African Storybook / Storybooks Canada and Pratham Books. Source and language details vary by edition. Age, theme and reading prompts are editorial suggestions. Little Leaf is independent of these organizations.

Chinese story collection ↗About CC BY 3.0 ↗About CC BY 4.0 ↗
YOUR READING MOMENTS

Reader feedback

← Back to the bookshelfDownload printable edition

It’s my birthday!

Zingisile’s birthday falls on a school day this year. How will he celebrate?

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

It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 1, English text included

Read and listen

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.

Zingisile’s birthday falls on a school day this year. How will he celebrate?

Read all 14 story pages
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 1, English text included
It’s my birthday!
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 2, English text included
"Kurukukuuu! Wake up, Zingisile! Today is your birthday!" It’s my birthday, and it’s also a school day.
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 3, English text included
"Mama, Mama! Guess what day it is?" I shout. I always ask my mama every morning on my birthday.
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 4, English text included
"This is your birthday porridge. Now, quickly, eat up and get ready. You can’t be late on your birthday!"
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 5, English text included
Mmmhhh. I love mealie porridge when it’s runny… Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 6, English text included
At preschool everyone knows it’s my birthday. They sing happy birthday and give me handmade love notes.
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 7, English text included
I can’t wait for my special meal from Mama. I can’t wait to see my favourite cousin, Sisipho. She is also my best friend. Her birthday is coming in September. Which chicken will Mama cook for me? I hope it’s the fat one.
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 8, English text included
"Zingisile, what was your favourite part of the story?" asks Mrs Mkombe. "Pumpkin and mealie pap!" I shout, still in my daydream. All my friends laugh.
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 9, English text included
When I get home, Luhambo is excited. He has only had one birthday, on the 28th of April. Now I’ve had five birthdays already!
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 10, English text included
Look at all the food! Mama has made my favourites — spinach and sweetcorn and pumpkin and mealie pap and gravy and her special bread. Everything is from our garden.
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 11, English text included
"Happy birthday, Zingisile! Mini emnandi kuwe, Zingisile! How old are you now?"
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 12, English text included
"I’m five years old now!" I sing back. My papa picks me up and spins me around. "My Zing-star! You’re so old you’re almost a teacher!"
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 13, English text included
Mama lets me pick the biggest piece of chicken. She dishes for me first. I dip my delicious bread in the gravy and I smile. I can’t wait for my next birthday!
It’s my birthday! — original illustrated page 14, English text included

Creators and open license

Written by
Sinovuyo Mcunukelwa
Illustrated by
Josephine Versfeld
Created by
Sinovuyo Mcunukelwa (Writer); Josephine Versfeld (Illustrator); Nkosingiphile Mazibuko (Designer); Diane Awerbuck (Editor)

Source: Book Dash
Original: It’s my birthday! 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.