Deedy, C. A., & Austin, M. (2007). Martina, the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.
This enchanting Cuban folktale is about a beautiful cockroach, Martina, who is looking for a husband. The women in her family give her small trinkets to prepare her for her coming out. Her grandmother gives her some advice to find the perfect husband, and even though it seems ridiculous she follows her grandmother's advice. Suitor after suitor comes to ask for Martina's hand in marriage and when each suitor comes she does what her grandmother told her to do. The "Coffee Test," will let her know if the suitor will be a good husband, and as she serves coffee to the suitor she accidentally spills the hot coffee onto the suitor's shoes. By doing this test she will know how the suitor will react and how their temper will be. Does Martina find her husband or will she be a lonely cockroach.
This Cuban folktale was a charming story and I enjoyed the reading the story. The illustrations and text really made the story come to life. Young readers will enjoy this short story, and teachers could use this folktale to display some multicultural folktales so students could be well diverse in other cultures.
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