Seed Books is a publishing project of the School of Education and Development in collaboration with CAE staff which aims to supply storybooks to children in severely under-resourced schools. The project was supported by the Rockefeller Brothers’ Fund. 

24 short picture books in isiZulu are available, for use by children in the foundation phase of schooling (Grades One to Three). The books are graded to cater for different stages of early reading – some have more pictures and little or no text, while others have more words along with some pictures. The books are copyright free, and can be easily photocopied, so that teachers may make more books as needed. PDF files of the books can be downloaded or printed off this website.

The intention is to provide books for young children in communities where books and other literacy resources are few both in homes and schools. It is hoped that children to be able to take their copies of the books home, to read with their families.

Make your own Seed Books

The PDFs below each contain the book cover and the inner pages of each book.

1. The inner pages must be printed out or photocopied back-to-back on an A4 sheet of paper.
2. Print the cover on one side only of an A4 sheet. You may wish to print out the cover on coloured card.
3. Cut the A4 sheets (inner pages and cover) in half, along the horizontal dotted line.

4. Fold the cut sheets along the vertical dotted line.
   Staple the inner pages into the cover, along the spine. 
                                                                   

 These two sheets must be back-to-back on the same A4 sheet!

Accident

Breakfast

Cooking

Counting

Feelings

Hair 

Heavy and light

Houses

How many

I can do this

Lazy little brother

Letters

My body

My family

New shoes

School clothes

Silkworms

Teeth 

The sprouting bean

This is me

Two hungry boys

Weather book

Where is my cat?