FOLKTALES AND NURSERY RHYMES
Deedy, Carmen Agra, Reteller

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michael Austin. Martina, a lovely green Cuban cockroach, follows her grandmother's advice and applies the coffee test to all her prospective husbands: when a suitor comes calling, she spills coffee on his shoes and quickly discovers how he'll behave when angry. Humorous wordplay adds spice to this (unsourced) retelling, while the entertaining acrylic illustrations portray the animals' foibles with gusto. Concurrently published in Spanish.

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