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Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale

Retold by Carmen Agra Deedy

Illustrated by Michael Austin

Picture Book

Ages 5 to 8

Peachtree Publishers, 2007, 1-56145-399-4

  Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha is a stunning looking young lady cockroach. Now that she is twenty-one days old the time has come for her to choose a husband. All of Martina’s female relatives give her gifts – all of them except her Abuela. Her grandmother does not give her a comb or a scarf, instead she offers Martina some advice. She tells Martina that she should use the “Coffee Test” on prospective suitors. All Martina has to do is to spill coffee on her suitor’s shoes. The test will show Martina what kind of temper her potential husband has.

  Martina is not sure that she likes the sound of test but when Don Gallo the rooster comes calling she decides to try it. It is a good thing that she does too, for Don Gallo has a terrible temper and shows his true colors when he gets angry with Martina for spilling coffee on his shoes.

  Martina’s next visitor is, if anything even worse than the rooster. He is Don Cerdo the pig and when he is subjected to the test he has a fit – which is ridiculous really when one considers how filthy he is and how bad he smells. Clearly he is not worthy of the delightful Martina.

  In this wonderful story about the search for love, Carmen Agra Deedy combines humor with a wonderful narrative style to create a story which makes one smile and which is a joy to read.

  The illustrations are incredibly detailed and a pleasure to look at, with soft colors which give the tale the perfect mellow atmosphere of a warm night in Old Havana.

 

 

Martina the beautiful cockroach

 

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