Bavajadas! That’s Just Silly!

by Sarah Aroeste

This laugh-out-loud rhyming board book embraces silliness with the fun of the Ladino word “bavajadas”: nonsense!

12 pages, Board Book

Published October 1, 2025

Reviews

[Rebecca Gardyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super sweet board book about “bavajadas!” which means “nonsense” in Ladino. As a note in the back matter explains, Ladino is a language that was spoken by many Sephardic Jews from Portugal and Spain before they were expelled in the 15th century and dispersed across the Mediterranean and North Africa. This book asks babies questions with silly rhymes like “Do you have ears on your nose and eyes on your toes?” and the answer to each is always the same throughout: “Bavajadas! That’s just silly!” Babies will love the bright and fun illustrations and the repeated refrain. Absolutely adorable!

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So perfectly captures the joyous, wacky, silly humor that very young children adore. Kids will eat this book up, and laugh and laugh. The illustrations are perfectly hilarious, and they make it very easy for kids to remember the story and eventually recite it. And woven into the enticing narrative is a most marvelously playful new word, bavajadas. Why can’t learning always be this fun??

[Abby White · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute story! I've learned more Ladino from Sarah Aroeste's books than from the rest of my life combined. Grateful for this latest addition, with Aroeste's typical sweetness—and, this time, very fun sillies. Highly recommend for young kids!

[Dara Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun story by Sarah Aroeste highlighting silliness and Ladino (which I didn't know much about). Kids will love the story and will learn, too (plus I enjoyed the Note from PJ Library), which gave additional information about Sephardic Jews, etc. Great addition to home or school libraries!

[Laurie Schneider · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute and joyfully silly. Toddlers will love this bright bit of fun and "Bavajadas!" will be your family’s new favorite word -- "nonsense" in Ladino.