Martina is a young cockroach who doesnt know coffee beans about love and marriage. Thats where her Cuban family comes in. While some of the Cucarac...
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May 14, 2011
Gundula
rated it: 
Like some of my GR friends, I was somewhat reluctant to read this story, as I am actually quite phobic about cockroaches in particular. However, after having read the many glowing reviews, and also having this book selected as one of the May selections in the Children's Literature Group picture book club reads, I decided to give it a try. And, wow!! This was simply an amazing picture book, one of the best I have ever had the pleasure to read.
I cannot even say what I enjoyed more, More...
I cannot even say what I enjoyed more, More...
8 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Jan 07, 2009
Kathryn
rated it:
This was great! An unexpected treat. Luminous artwork and a fine "moral" to the story that is clever and sweet, not preachy. (The only thing I found weird was that the suitors for Martina the Beautiful Cockroach were NOT other cochroaches but lizards and pigs and such... but, hey, it is a fable!)
7 comments
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(8 people liked it)
Mar 18, 2009
Chandra
rated it: 
This one really has it all:
Great folktale with great message - check!
Beautiful illustrations - check!
Entertaining and funny - check!
Multicultural - check!
I had so much fun saying Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha over and over! Great read aloud!
*Thanks to Kathryn for bringing this one to my attention! It happens to be a Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee so it was displayed prominently at my little Austin library and we were lucky enough to b More...
Great folktale with great message - check!
Beautiful illustrations - check!
Entertaining and funny - check!
Multicultural - check!
I had so much fun saying Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha over and over! Great read aloud!
*Thanks to Kathryn for bringing this one to my attention! It happens to be a Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee so it was displayed prominently at my little Austin library and we were lucky enough to b More...
4 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Feb 24, 2010
L-Melissa
rated it:
This book was given an award for it's audio version which is absolutely amazing! The story is read by the author herself and is funny and authentic. Martina Josephina Catalina Cucaracha, the main characters is looking for a husband and she has many to choose from due to her beauty! Her grandmother, Abuela tries to be matchmaker, but Martina is embarrassed by that.
Abuela decides to have a coffee test to find a husband for Martina. This part of the story reminded me of the Abuela an More...
Abuela decides to have a coffee test to find a husband for Martina. This part of the story reminded me of the Abuela an More...
Nov 20, 2008
Jacquelyn
rated it:
Genre: Folktale Reading level: Ages 4-8
One might think this is a story about vanity, but fear not! It is a moral tale about finding a good mate by testing their mettle. Martina is given gifts to enhance her beauty from her female relatives, but gets the best gift of all from her grandmother: the gift of wisdom. Various suitors are introduced and dismissed for their stereotypical traits, the rooster for his vanity, the pig for his boorishness, and the lizard for his cold-bloodedness. I More...
One might think this is a story about vanity, but fear not! It is a moral tale about finding a good mate by testing their mettle. Martina is given gifts to enhance her beauty from her female relatives, but gets the best gift of all from her grandmother: the gift of wisdom. Various suitors are introduced and dismissed for their stereotypical traits, the rooster for his vanity, the pig for his boorishness, and the lizard for his cold-bloodedness. I More...
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(1 person liked it)
Jun 18, 2010
Jill
rated it:
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach
• The overriding theme is know who you are getting married to before you tie the knot.
• For a cockroach, Martina is beautiful. She has soulful eyes and long flowing eyelashes. Her shell gives more the appearance of being a royal robe. Her mannerisms are dainty and her tentacles and legs seem delicate.
• Martina’s abuela is illustrated as an experienced, confident, and wise abuela with her glasses, big bosoms, rounded checks, and wrinkly nose.
More...
• The overriding theme is know who you are getting married to before you tie the knot.
• For a cockroach, Martina is beautiful. She has soulful eyes and long flowing eyelashes. Her shell gives more the appearance of being a royal robe. Her mannerisms are dainty and her tentacles and legs seem delicate.
• Martina’s abuela is illustrated as an experienced, confident, and wise abuela with her glasses, big bosoms, rounded checks, and wrinkly nose.
More...
May 04, 2010
Crystal
rated it:
I was intrigued to read about something that would never cross my mind as beautiful. I must say, I really enjoyed it! So much so when my sister came over, I told her you have to read this! She enjoyed it too. Like Kathyrn, I enjoyed having the Spanish and English words so I could learn. My copy did not have a glossary at the end. =( The illustators use of colors was perfect, blues, greens, and pinks. It added to the beauty of the folktale. Michael Austin managed to make something most people fin
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3 comments
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(5 people liked it)
May 04, 2010
Abigail
rated it:
When Martina the beautiful cockroach - Martina Josephina Catalina Cucaracha to her family - reaches the mature age of 21 days, and is considered old enough to marry, her father has el perico (the parrot) spread the news. Soon the would-be bridegrooms are lining up, and Martina's female relatives are pressing lace shawls and seashell combs on her. Her formidable Cuban grandmother has other ideas though, and offers un consejo increíble (a shocking piece of advice): if Martina "accidentally"
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2 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Oct 22, 2009
NSAndrew
rated it:
Carmen Agra Deedy delivers a deliciously inventive Cuban version of the beloved Martina folktale, complete with a dash of café Cubano.
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 increible, some shocking advice.
You want me to do what? Martina gasps More...
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 increible, some shocking advice.
You want me to do what? Martina gasps More...
Mar 16, 2010
Martina is searching for love and her grandmother has her spill coffee on the potential lovers shoes to find Martina’s true love.
Since it is Cuban folktale, there is a combination of Spanish and English, which I think is very unique to many other folktales. With the Spanish, there is an extra amount of learning that can be done through the book other than just the moral. Spanish is only used every once in a while with the name of animals, so it’s not overwhelming to the reader. An More...
Since it is Cuban folktale, there is a combination of Spanish and English, which I think is very unique to many other folktales. With the Spanish, there is an extra amount of learning that can be done through the book other than just the moral. Spanish is only used every once in a while with the name of animals, so it’s not overwhelming to the reader. An More...
May 07, 2010
Lisa
rated it:
I must express my gratitude to the Picture Book Club at the Children's Books group. I. Never. Would. Have. Picked. This. Book. Up. And. Read. It. Never.
It turns out from a note on the back inside cover that the Cuban Cockroach, Panclora nivea, has an iridescent green coat/beautiful and is a vegetarian, which wsa not quite enough to sell me but made me less squeamish.
However, the book charmed me.
Oh, I chortled my way through it. It was amusing, and heartwarmin More...
It turns out from a note on the back inside cover that the Cuban Cockroach, Panclora nivea, has an iridescent green coat/beautiful and is a vegetarian, which wsa not quite enough to sell me but made me less squeamish.
However, the book charmed me.
Oh, I chortled my way through it. It was amusing, and heartwarmin More...
4 comments
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(4 people liked it)
Jan 24, 2011
Cathy
rated it:
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 her grandmother, gives her some shocking advice. At first, Martina is skeptical of her 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 a tiny brown mouse is left. But what will happen when Marti
More...
Mar 08, 2011
VegasGal
rated it:
A superb folktale with equally appealing illustrations that adds to the overall coolness of this story. Not only is this tale great for children, but the moral told is definitely something adults can read about and take to heart too. The only thing I thought was sorta strange in this particular story was the suitors Martina the cockroach had - they weren't fellow cockroaches, but other animals, which is kinda weird in my opinion. But I suppose a fairytale can be outrageous and weird since it is
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(1 person liked it)
Nov 23, 2009
Erin
rated it:
Martina the Cockroach is ready for marriage and has to pick a suitor! Her grandmother tells her to use the coffee test—spill some coffee on her suitor’s shoes and see how he reacts when he gets angry to see how the marriage will fare. The illustrations are magical and expressive and the story sweet.
**This is a story I would like to learn and retell. I think it would work well because of the repetition and you could even create an easy chant or song that she sings every time she’s p More...
**This is a story I would like to learn and retell. I think it would work well because of the repetition and you could even create an easy chant or song that she sings every time she’s p More...
Mar 29, 2011
Shannon
rated it:
This book won the Pura Belpre Honor Award. It is about Martina the beautiful cockroach who doesn't know anything about love and marriage. That is 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: some shocking advice to help her find her own true love!
Teaching ideas:
http://www.puppet.org/pdf/Martina-studyg...
http://www.wcmu.org/radio/childrensbooks...
More...
Teaching ideas:
http://www.puppet.org/pdf/Martina-studyg...
http://www.wcmu.org/radio/childrensbooks...
More...
Nov 15, 2010
Catherine
rated it:
Published 2007.
This is an adorable retelling of a Cuban folktale. The Beautiful Martina is ready to marry, but the suitors leave alot to be desired. She uses her Abuela's (Grandmother's) "coffee test" to weed out all the rotten suitors and in the end finds her true match.
Themes include finding the right partner, the wisdom of Cuban grandmothers and being yourself.
This is a great addition to a folktale unit. It would also be perfect as part of a ce More...
This is an adorable retelling of a Cuban folktale. The Beautiful Martina is ready to marry, but the suitors leave alot to be desired. She uses her Abuela's (Grandmother's) "coffee test" to weed out all the rotten suitors and in the end finds her true match.
Themes include finding the right partner, the wisdom of Cuban grandmothers and being yourself.
This is a great addition to a folktale unit. It would also be perfect as part of a ce More...
Jan 26, 2010
L- Lisa
rated it:
This audio version is a cuban folktale retelling. The voice is that of the author, Carmen Agra Deedy, who not only reads the story but adds her own side comments and sounds. Her voice takes on the characters throughout the story, adding such humor and delight for anyone listening. The cockroach, Martina, interviews various suitors to decide whom to "give her leg" in marriage. She uses the coffee test, as suggested by her grandmother. The final test is hilarious!
Recommended More...
Recommended More...
2 comments
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(1 person liked it)
Jul 19, 2010
Ronyell
rated it:
“Martina the Beautiful Cockroach” is a Pura Belpre Honor Book by Carmen Agra Deedy along with gorgeous illustrations by Michael Austin and it is about how a young and beautiful cockroach named Martina tries to find a good husband by following her Cuban grandmother’s advice in spilling coffee on her suitor’s shoes. “Martina the Beautiful Cockroach” is a beautiful Cuban folktale that everyone who loves books about bugs will definitely appreciate.
Carmen Agra Deedy has done a superb job More...
Carmen Agra Deedy has done a superb job More...
0 comments
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(2 people liked it)
Dec 12, 2008
Jennifer
rated it:
Oh how I love this book, let me count the ways!
1. The illustrations, by Michael Austin, are beautifully, vibrantly and lushly colored with fun details for readers to examine. The scene of Martina's room is a prime example with a spoon as a mirror, a postage stamp as a poster, and a spool of thread as a stool.
2. The language is perfect for reading aloud with Deedy's phrases just tripping off the tongue - I cannot get enough of saying "Martina Josefina Catalina Cuca More...
1. The illustrations, by Michael Austin, are beautifully, vibrantly and lushly colored with fun details for readers to examine. The scene of Martina's room is a prime example with a spoon as a mirror, a postage stamp as a poster, and a spool of thread as a stool.
2. The language is perfect for reading aloud with Deedy's phrases just tripping off the tongue - I cannot get enough of saying "Martina Josefina Catalina Cuca More...
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 03, 2009
Heidi
rated it:
Winner of the ALSC 2008 Notable Children's Book Award for Younger Readers
I loved the details of the illustrations, the pictures appealed to me more than the story. It has some sexist attitudes in the bugs that come courting (and the fact that she fetches the coffee) but it is a change of pace from the European folktales where all the damsels are perfectly cheerful and resigned to whatever fate brings them. I just wish Martina had more spunk and say about choosing a husband.
I loved the details of the illustrations, the pictures appealed to me more than the story. It has some sexist attitudes in the bugs that come courting (and the fact that she fetches the coffee) but it is a change of pace from the European folktales where all the damsels are perfectly cheerful and resigned to whatever fate brings them. I just wish Martina had more spunk and say about choosing a husband.
Apr 12, 2011
Winta
rated it:
This is a cute read aloud story for children as young as 2nd graders and older. Children can learn to listen to their elder’s advice and to not fall for flattery. Many of the suitors who wanted Martina's "legs" in marriage said mean things when Martina spilled coffee in their shoes like her grandmother told her to do. In the end, her grandma points out a mouse. He quickly spills it in her shoes instead, being that his grandma was also Cuban like her and knew the culture.
Sep 12, 2009
Cheryl
rated it:
This retelling of a Cuban folktale is a truly delightful story about a beautiful cockroach's search for a husband. The pictures are fantastic and the generous sprinkling of spanish words and phrases throughout the story is both enlightening and lyrical. This book is sure to appeal to people of all ages and is a wonderful read aloud book.
Traditional Folktale; 2007; Picture Book; ALA Notable Books for Children; Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Pura Belpre Honor
Traditional Folktale; 2007; Picture Book; ALA Notable Books for Children; Notable Social Studies Trade Book, Pura Belpre Honor
Dec 21, 2011
Amy
rated it:
This is such a great story, and the illustrations are beautiful! This is a book that everyone looking for a prospective mate needs to read! :-)
My niece really liked the book, which I wasn't surprised about. It's just got all that "gotta find my true love" stuff in it that girls (in general) seem to like. What I *was* surprised about was that my nephew seemed to like it too! I wouldn't say that he was totally enthralled by the book, and he certainly didn't understand all More...
My niece really liked the book, which I wasn't surprised about. It's just got all that "gotta find my true love" stuff in it that girls (in general) seem to like. What I *was* surprised about was that my nephew seemed to like it too! I wouldn't say that he was totally enthralled by the book, and he certainly didn't understand all More...
Nov 07, 2010
Jennifer
rated it:
Virginia Readers' Choice Winner
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach was a wonderful book about a grandmother's advice to her young granddaughter on how to chose the right "man" to marry. It is very well written and the illustrations are fantastic. They are very colorful and well drawn. This book was a Virginia Readers' Choice winner.
This is another book that can be used during a multicultural unit. It gives the kids an insight into a tradition used in Cuban folktale.
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach was a wonderful book about a grandmother's advice to her young granddaughter on how to chose the right "man" to marry. It is very well written and the illustrations are fantastic. They are very colorful and well drawn. This book was a Virginia Readers' Choice winner.
This is another book that can be used during a multicultural unit. It gives the kids an insight into a tradition used in Cuban folktale.
Oct 17, 2011
Suzanne
rated it:
Martina the beautiful cockroach makes a love match with a field mouse! The mouse is much cuter than the rooster, pig, or lizard. If real cockroaches were as charming as Martina, I think I could tolerate their existence much easier. This Cuban tale reinforces the idea of really knowing someone before committing to a long term arrangement. Grandma's Cuban folktale advises Martina to spill coffee on the feet of her suitors to see if they are angered or forgiving. The ending is a surprise when
More...
Oct 13, 2009
(NS) Mary
rated it:
2008 Pura Belpre Medal (honor book)
Ages 5-10
In this funny re-telling of a Cuban folktale, Martina, the beautiful cockroach, comes to the age where she must find a husband. Her family all gives her advice, but the advice of her grandmothers seems the most unorthodox. She must spill coffee on the feet of each of the suitors to see their reaction. Spanish is intermixed in much of the story. The illustrations perfectly support the text and vice versa.
Ages 5-10
In this funny re-telling of a Cuban folktale, Martina, the beautiful cockroach, comes to the age where she must find a husband. Her family all gives her advice, but the advice of her grandmothers seems the most unorthodox. She must spill coffee on the feet of each of the suitors to see their reaction. Spanish is intermixed in much of the story. The illustrations perfectly support the text and vice versa.
Jul 14, 2009
Randy
rated it:
Another winner as a read aloud choice. Watch as Deedy captures the choices from which Martina must select her future husband. Her abuela gives her the key to making this difficult choice. This Cuban folktale sees the suits presented by el Gallo, el Cerdo, and el Lagarto. Enjoy the voices and the characterizations possible. Add a little accent as you read each part. The twist at the end is worth the entire story. Who does Martina choose?
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Jan 26, 2010
L-Angelica
rated it:
Personal response: Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale is a wonderful story about the most beautiful cockroach who lived in Old Havana, Cuba. Her full name was Martina Josefina Catalina. I love to say it over and over.The drawings are beautiful. What a wonderful way to pass on folktales. It is a great book for read alouds. The humor is appropriate for young children. This is good book to use to explain puns. I also enjoyed how they sprinkled words in Spanish to give it additional
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May 30, 2009
Megan
rated it:
Martina interviews several potential husbands and, following her grandmother's advice, spills coffee on each of their shoes to see how they will react. Word play makes this an intelligent story (for example, Martina rejects the rooster because he is "too cocky"), but it is also simple and humorous enough for young children to enjoy. Michael Austin's illustrations are beautiful and whimsical--just perfect for this wonderful folk tale.
