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Stories for Joy

What’s the plan?

4-5 Years
English
  • Clothing, Colours and designs, My family and friends, STEAM

ISBN

978-1-4315-4033-4

What’s the plan?

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme Clothing, Colours and designs, My family and friends, STEAM

Bongi and his friends want to build a bridge, but they soon find out that it is not as easy as it seems. Will they succeed?

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Searching for the Spirit of Spring

4-5 Years
Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Culture and celebrations, My home, Seasons, Where I live

ISBN

978-1-9283-1830-9

Searching for the Spirit of Spring

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Theme Culture and celebrations, My home, Seasons, Where I live

Nkanyezi can’t wait for the Spring festival, but the people of Ndlovu have lost their spirit of celebration. She must go in search of the spirit of Spring. What will she find?

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Meshak’s garden

4-5 Years
English
  • Food that helps us grow, My home, Our outside environment, Where I live

ISBN

978-1-4315-4034-1

Meshak’s garden

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme Food that helps us grow, My home, Our outside environment, Where I live

It’s very hot and Meshak’s vegetable garden is dying. Together, he and his dad come up with a plan to save the plants … but will it work?

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Look out, Luthando!

4-5 Years
Multiple Languages (English included)
  • My body, My family and friends, My senses

ISBN

978-1-9284-9799-8

Look out, Luthando!

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Theme My body, My family and friends, My senses

Luthando is very good at listening and very good at smelling, but he’s not so good at looking where he is going. He walks into puddles and bumps his head. What could be the problem?

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Let’s celebrate

4-5 Years
English
  • Culture and celebrations, My family and friends

ISBN

978-1-4315-4032-7

Let’s celebrate

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme Culture and celebrations, My family and friends

We all celebrate with the people we love. Sometimes we go to a special place and often we wear special clothes, sing songs and eat special food. No matter where you are from, celebrating is for everyone.

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Lebona and the moon

4-5 Years
English
  • Feelings and emotions, My family and friends, The beautiful sky

ISBN

978-1-4315-4030-3

Lebona and the moon

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme Feelings and emotions, My family and friends, The beautiful sky

Lebona lives with his Nkgono in a village far from the bright lights of the city. In the evenings, they watch the night sky together. One magical night, Lebona visits the moon in his dreams … and receives a special birthday surprise in return.

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Lara the Yellow Ladybird

4-5 Years
Multiple Languages (English included)
  • All about me, Feelings and emotions, People who help us

ISBN

978-1-9283-1854-5

Lara the Yellow Ladybird

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Theme All about me, Feelings and emotions, People who help us

A yellow bug in a world of red, Lara the Ladybird just wants to fit in.

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Dumisani and the beautiful dresses

4-5 Years
English
  • Clothing, Colours and designs, People who help us, STEAM

ISBN

978-1-4315-4031-0

Dumisani and the beautiful dresses

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme Clothing, Colours and designs, People who help us, STEAM

Dumisani dreams of being a fashion designer – just like his uncle. He decides to start small by making new clothes for his dolls. But how? Luckily, Gogo is happy to help him learn. Together, they create clothes fit for a fashion show.

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Bandile goes to the city

4-5 Years
English
  • Habits and routines, My home, Transport, Where I live

ISBN

978-1-4315-4029-7

Bandile goes to the city

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme Habits and routines, My home, Transport, Where I live

Bandile loves going to the big city with Tata. They leave home early because the journey is long. Today they have some exciting items on their shopping list. Come along for the ride and see what they buy …

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Amazing Daisy!

4-5 Years
Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Animals, Feelings and emotions, My family and friends

ISBN

978-1-9283-1832-3

Amazing Daisy!

Age Group

4-5 Years

Language

Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Theme Animals, Feelings and emotions, My family and friends

On a little farm lives Daisy, a little chicken who wishes she could fly. All the other chickens laugh at her daily flying practice. But one day something amazing happens …

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Zandi’s first day

3-5 Years
English
  • Feelings and emotions, My learning environment, People who help us

ISBN

978-1-4315-4017-4

Zandi’s first day

Age Group

3-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme Feelings and emotions, My learning environment, People who help us

Zandi feels anxious about starting a new school and is very sad to leave her grandpa. In the end, the day turns out better than expected.

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Will you be my friend?

3-5 Years
English
  • All about me, Feelings and emotions, Robots and rockets

ISBN

978-1-4315-4024-2

Will you be my friend?

Age Group

3-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme All about me, Feelings and emotions, Robots and rockets

One day, Lesedi sees something in her garden. It’s Robot! He looks like he could be a great new friend to play with, but he keeps disappearing. Lesedi looks everywhere. Where will she find him?

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Where is Lulu?

3-5 Years
Multiple Languages (English included)
  • My family and friends, My learning environment, People who help us

ISBN

978-1-9284-4232-5

Where is Lulu?

Age Group

3-5 Years

Language

Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Theme My family and friends, My learning environment, People who help us

Where is Lulu and why is she hiding?

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When I grow up

3-5 Years
English
  • All about me, People who help us, STEAM

ISBN

978-1-4315-4026-6

When I grow up

Age Group

3-5 Years

Language

English
  • Theme All about me, People who help us, STEAM

So many things to be and do when you grow up. What will you choose?

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Tlotlego’s Tea Party

3-5 Years
Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Habits and routines, My family and friends, STEAM

ISBN

978-1-7762-3154-6

Tlotlego’s Tea Party

Age Group

3-5 Years

Language

Multiple Languages (English included)
  • Theme Habits and routines, My family and friends, STEAM

Tlotlego is hosting a tea party! But something strange keeps happening while he is setting the table.

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Book Count by Theme
Book Count by Age

About

A series of open-licensed South African storybooks created to:

  • Respond to key calls in key research and policy to: Increase access to quality, age and context-appropriate reading for enjoyment materials (Thrive by Five, National Literacy Strategy and Plan, and National Reading Barometer).
Read More

Intended use, distribution & access

  • Print & distribute to ELPs and into home learning settings through innovative channels and partnerships (e.g. through healthcare touchpoints, with the RtHB, at libraries, etc)
Read More

The Stories for Joy series was developed from the National Curriculum Framework (Birth – 4) LTSM Big Books and existing books in the Book Dash catalogue. All books are locally-developed and aimed to be read aloud with children from birth to five years old. They are aligned to the NCF age bands, early learning themes and the National Early Learning Developmental Standards (NELDS).

Copyright: Department of Basic Education / UNICEF Terms of use Privacy Statement

Book Count by Theme

Theme Book Count
My learning environment
4
All about me
10
My body
4
My senses
5
Feelings and emotions
14
My family and friends
24
My home, where I live
9
Food that helps us grow
6
Clothing, colours and designs
4
Habits and routines
10
People who help us
9
Animals
7
Communication in my world
1
STEAM
7
Robots and rockets
1
Transport
2
The beautiful sky
4
Our outside environment
13
Seasons
4
Culture and celebrations
2

Book Count by Age

Age Band Book Count
0 - 2 years
NCF: Beginning and Moving on
9
2 - 4 years
NCF: Moving on and Advancing Further
12
3 - 5 years
NCF: Advancing further and Towards Grade R
19
4 - 5 years
NELDS: Towards Grade R
10
Total
50

About

A series of open-licensed South African storybooks created to:

  • Respond to key calls in key research and policy to: Increase access to quality, age and context-appropriate reading for enjoyment materials (Thrive by Five, National Literacy Strategy and Plan, and National Reading Barometer).
  • Strengthen the delivery of the National Curriculum Framework (Birth – 4 years)
  • Support the realisation of the ECD Strategy 2030: Quality ECD opportunities for all and the National Literacy Strategy and Plan that acknowledges that literacy starts from birth.
  • Provide concrete opportunities for play-based approaches to building emergent language and literacy skills such as creativity, critical thinking and comprehension, especially for the most vulnerable.

About

Intended use, distribution & access

  • Print & distribute to ELPs and into home learning settings through innovative channels and partnerships (e.g. through healthcare touchpoints, with the RtHB, at libraries, etc)
  • To provide resources to parents and educators to stimulate reading with very young children, build vocabulary, comprehension, creative thinking and support later literacy acquisition.
  • Research widely indicates the catalytic impact of access to appropriate and rich reading resources, especially when combined with parent and/or teacher training. The books offer a perfect opportunity for public-private corporate partnerships, co-funding to translate, print & distribute to boost early learning opportunities and results in a district, municipality or province.
  • Open license, available on DBE website and ECDinfohub.org, complemented by professional development, capacity-building and training opportunities and resources (training, handouts etc)