Learn Swahili with a tried-and-true picture book, Jambo Means Hello: Swahili Alphabet Book (Penguin Young Readers Group, 1992.) The author, Muriel Feelings, and illustrator, Tom Feelings, have both lived in East Africa. Their first-hand experience certainly comes through in this culturally rich, award-winning book.
My boys and I have already picked up a few words in Swahili from one of our favorite books, We All Went on Safari, by Laurie Krebs. And we remember a few fun words from Disney’s Lion King. You probably know them, too—-Simba (lion), Rafiki (friend), Hakuna Matata . . . Anyway, the kids and I love saying words in Swahili. It’s just plain fun!
Muriel Feelings provides an excellent introduction to Swahili in Jambo Means Hello. Did you know that Swahili is the most widely spoken language on the continent of Africa? And there are only 24 letters in the Swahili alphabet? No Q and no X. (No loss!)
Here are just a few of the new words you’ll learn in Swahili in this African picture book:
Baba – Father
Mama – Mother
Dawa – medicine
Embe - mango (mmm!)
Ngoma – drum and dance
Tembo – elephant
Watoto – children
And, of course . . .
Jambo – Hello
But my kids’ absolute favorite is the letter Y–
Yungiyungi (pronounced yoon-gee-yoon-gee) – water lily
To learn even more Swahili, read Jambo Means Hello and visit the Mwana Simba website.
