Martina the Beautiful Cockroach

Good evening, faithful followers. I've had a few computer glitches recently so I haven't been able to share some good books with you. Nevertheless, I am ready to begin and I am SO excited about this one!

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach is a beautiful children's book with a gold seal on the front. The seal signifies that the book received the Pura Belpre Award. The story is a Cuban folktale that has been retold by Carmen Agra Deedy. Deedy came to the U.S. as an immigrant from Cuba, and she has been writing books for over 20 years. Her other books include Agatha's Featherbed, The Yellow Star, and 14 Cows for America. Deedy, along with her illustrator, Michael Austin, have put together a beautiful book that you will want to purchase and read to your children, grandchildren, students, and just about about everyone else. The retail price for this book is $19.95.

Since I teach English as a Second Language in a public elementary school, I particularly found this book to be very endearing. There are Spanish words scattered throughout the book, and it comes with a CD in the back that provides readings in both English AND Spanish. It could be used is a learning center for young children because it allows them to listen with headphones and they will enjoy the art work as they do so.

Upon reading the title, you may think, "How can a cockroach be beautiful?" Well, in her world she was VERY beautiful, and isn't beauty in the eye of the beholder anyway? Martina is a young, beautiful cockroach who is 21 days old and ready for marriage. Now that she is 21 days old, she is "ready to give her leg in marriage." I'm thinking, "Which leg??" Anyway, since she has reached this milestone, her loving family members give her gifts. Her grandmother's gift was "un consejo increible," some shocking advice. She told Martina that she needed to find a good husband by using "The Coffee Test." This test was given to four different suitors. Martina had to spill coffee on the man's shoes and watch his reaction; if he got angry, he would not be a good man for the beautiful cockroach. The first man who courts Martina is Don Gallo, a large rooster. He admiringly croons, "Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha, Beautiful muchacha..." Just because he knows Martina's full name does NOT mean that he will be a good husband! Martina begins the coffee test and spills the hot drink on Don Gallo's shoes. He becomes furious, calls Martina a "clumsy cockroach," and sends the young cockroach a clear message: he is NOT the man for her.

The second character who wants to win Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha over is Don Cerdo, a smelly pig. He, too, failed the coffee test when he lost his temper because Martina spilled coffee on his loafers. Martina thought to herself, "He really is quite a ham." Once again, pig humor. Martina turned down Don Cerdo's proposal because he was too "boorish." So, she's beginning to think that her grandmother's advice was a wonderful gift because it helped her sift through undesirable suitors. The third man is Don Lagarto, the lizard. At this point Martina becomes concerned that there might not be any coffee left! She does find some, however, spills it on Don Lagarto, and he becomes irate - he turned colors three times! Martina told him that he was too "cold-blooded" for her. Ironice, isn't it?

Finally, Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha meets an adorable mouse called Perez. The little cockroach is quite smitten with Perez because he thinks she is beautiful and says that she is strong and good. Even though he cannot see very well and can't testify to her outer beauty, he knows that Martina is a wonderful cockroach. So, Martina must now give the coffee test once again. When she began to spill the coffee, Perez reached over and spilled coffee on HER shoes instead. Martina wasn't angry at all - she was delighted! She asked Perez how he knew about the coffee test. He grinned and said, "Well, mi amor, my love...I too have a Cuban grandmother." Four suitors, but only one passed...a small, brown mouse who already knew about a Cuban tradition to help find a mate.

Next time I will be back in the adult literature department. There are so many books that I want to recommend to you but I know that, in time, I will get around to sharing many of them. You will probably realize that I read books from many different genres because I'm interested in quite a variety of subjects. I do tend to read more non-fiction during the past few years, mostly biographies. I greatly enjoyed books such as My Life in Green, A Girl Named Zippy, and Little Heathens. In the novels category I've enjoyed Cutting for Stone and A Prayer for Owen Meany. But I digress...that's just a taste of what is to come, so stay tuned!