Martina the Beautiful Cockroach

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach - A Cuban Folk Tale by Carmen Deedy. Martina the beautiful cockroach doesn't know coffee beans about love and marriage. That s where her Cuban family comes in. While some of the Cucarachas offer her gifts to make her more attractive, only Abuela, her grandmother, gives her something really useful: un consejo increí­ble, some shocking advice.

"You want me to do what? Martina gasps."

At first, Martina is skeptical of her Abuela s unorthodox suggestion, but when suitor after suitor fails the Coffee Test, she wonders if a little green cockroach can ever find true love. Soon, only the gardener Pérez, a tiny brown mouse, is left. But what will happen when Martina offers him café cubano?

After reading this sweet and witty retelling of the Cuban folktale, you ll never look at a cockroach the same way again.