# African Storybook Reader > Collection of African storybooks for early reading in multiple languages. (iPhone/iPad app by Alan Amory.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/african-storybook-reader/id1116639549 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Alan Amory](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116639548) - Category: Education - Price: Free - Rating: 4.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 11 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2016-05-24 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/african-storybook-reader/id1116639549/reviews.md ## What is African Storybook Reader? The ASb Reader: a unique collection of African storybooks The African Storybook Reader has a unique collection of over 1500 approved picture storybooks for early reading in 170 of the languages of Africa. And the number grows all the time. No other publisher has the same range of languages nor access to the same network of authors, illustrators, and translators around Africa. The storybooks are developed in the contexts of use. They speak to the experiences of young African children particularly in rural and peri-urban contexts where the shortage of material for early reading in a familiar language is felt most acutely. The storybooks are openly licensed – free to use, distribute and adapt without the requirement to ask permission and pay a fee. Users are requested to observe the licence (Creative Commons Attribution or Non-Commercial) and attribute all those who contributed to the story (authors, illustrators, translators) the copyright holders, and the African Storybook initiative as a publisher. All the storybooks have English versions and many also have French and Portuguese versions to facilitate use of the stories not only in Anglophone countries, but also in Francophone and Lusophone countries. Countries in which the initiative was piloted (Uganda, Kenya, South Africa) have the largest number of stories and languages. Uganda: Luganda, Sabinyi, Lugbarati, Lunyole, Lumasaaba, Kakwa, Dhopadhola, Lusoga, Ateso, Aringati, Rutooro. Kenya: Kiswahili, Ng’aturkana, Maa, Kikamba, Dholuo, Ekegusii, Lubukusu, Olukhayo, Oluwanga. South Africa: isiZulu, isiXhosa, isiNdebele, siSwati, Xitsonga, Tshivenda, Sesotho, Setswana, Sepedi, Afrikaans. However, there are also stories and translations from our partners in other countries, for example, Yoruba from Nigeria, and Xitswa from Mozambique. Who is the ASb Reader for? The ASb Reader is for teachers and caregivers to find and share stories with the children in their care. The stories can be read with individual children on smartphones, or with groups of children using a large format tablet. Although the stories are at different levels, they are not graded readers, but intended to support reading for pleasure. How does the ASb Reader work? The African Storybook Reader allows the user to EXPLORE the collection of approved storybooks, and then download them in the desired languages into an offline library to READ. On EXPLORE, storybooks can be searched by language, latest stories, title, date and reading level. Level 1 : First words. Single words, phrases, or a short simple sentence per page; Most of the information carried by the illustration; Up to 10 words per page. Level 2: First sentences Two or three sentences per page; The illustrations support the understanding of the text; 11 - 25 words per page. Level 3: First paragraphs One or two short paragraphs with an illustration per page; Not such a close relationship between the illustration and the text; 26 - 50 words per page. Level 4: Longer paragraphs; May not be an illustration on every page; 51 – 70 words per page. Level 5: Read aloud More complex, denser text, with a number of text only pages; Unlikely that children in lower primary (up to third grade) will be able to read the text on their own; 71 – 140 words per page. The READ space contains a library of the thumbnails of the storybooks the user has downloaded to read offline. When reading a story, a user can find related stories – adaptations or translations of the story. On the African Storybook Reader, there is a link to the main website of the African Storybook initiative – www.africanstorybook.org, where users can find more storybooks and more languages created by our community of partners and independent users. We pass a proportion of these community storybooks through our minimum quality check give them ASb Approved status. On the ASb Reader, only ASb Approved storybooks can be found. ## Key features - Over 1500 African storybooks - 170 African languages - Openly licensed content - Offline library access - Search by language, title, level - Supports reading for pleasure ## Frequently asked questions about African Storybook Reader ### What is the African Storybook Reader? The African Storybook Reader provides access to over 1500 approved picture storybooks specifically for early reading. These books are available in 170 languages of Africa and are designed to be relevant to the experiences of young African children. ### Can I use African Storybook Reader offline? Yes, the app allows you to explore the collection and then download storybooks in your desired languages into an offline library. This means you can read stories with children even without an internet connection. ### How are the stories categorized in African Storybook Reader? Storybooks can be searched by language, latest stories, title, date, and reading level. The reading levels are defined as Level 1 (First words), Level 2 (First sentences), and Level 3 (First paragraphs), with word counts per page specified for each. ### Is African Storybook Reader free to use? Yes, the African Storybook Reader is completely free to use. The storybooks are openly licensed, meaning they are free to use, distribute, and adapt without requiring permission or payment. ### What languages are available on African Storybook Reader? The app features over 1500 storybooks in 170 languages of Africa. Prominent languages include Luganda, Kiswahili, isiZulu, isiXhosa, and many others from various countries across the continent. ### What is the age rating for African Storybook Reader? African Storybook Reader has an age rating of 4+. The stories are intended to support reading for pleasure for young children. ### On which devices can I use African Storybook Reader? African Storybook Reader is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod. The stories can be read with individual children on smartphones or with groups using a large format tablet. ### How often is African Storybook Reader updated? The app was last updated on March 4, 2019, with version 1.10.3. The collection of storybooks is continuously growing, with new stories and languages being added over time. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.10.3 — 2019-03-04 Interface update and bug fixes ### 1.10.2 — 2018-01-18 Bug fixes and version supports iPhone X. ### 1.10.0 — 2017-05-24 - New book design - Ability to downloaded new languages ### 1.0.2 — 2016-06-06 Minor bug fixes ### 1.0.1 — 2016-06-04 Fixed: Ability to clear search results. Minor bug fixes. Added: Ability to search storybooks at specific reading levels. ## Apps similar to African Storybook Reader | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [LangaApp](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/langaapp/id6444428318) | 2.5 (11) | Free | Education | | [LingAfriq - Language Learning](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lingafriq-language-learning/id1546840527) | 4.6 (5) | Free | Education | | [Ambani AR Books](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ambani-ar-books/id1474656893) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Education | | [Swahili Vocabulary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swahili-vocabulary/id1619942840) | 2.8 (4) | Free | Education | | [Learn Zulu](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-zulu/id6448241798) | 1.5 (2) | Free | Education | | [Sebmita](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sebmita/id1567445203) | 3.9 (100) | Free | Education | ## More apps by Alan Amory - [African Storybook Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/african-storybook-maker/id1486568534) All apps by Alan Amory: https://appshunter.io/developer/1116639548 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*