Martina the Beautiful Cockroach.

Deedy, Carmen Agra (author).

Related Features

Martina’s Cuban grandmother advises lovely cockroach Martina to spill coffee on suitors to see examples of their personality. Martina is reluctant at first, but the test proves abuela’s point: rooster Don Gallo is “cocky”; pig Don Cerdo is “boorish”; and lizard Don Lagarto is “cold-blooded.” Martina is exasperated until abuela points out overlooked suitor Perez the mouse. Amid compliments and blushes, Perez splashes café cubano onto Martina’s shoes. “How did you know about the Coffee Test?” she asks in surprise. “Well, mi amor, my love . . . I too have a Cuban grandmother.” Deedy’s masterful retelling of this Latino folktale has a rollicking voice imbued with sly tongue-in-cheek humor. The acrylic illustrations, in a hyperrealistic style reminiscent of a softer William Joyce, are rendered in a vivid tropical palette. Shifting perspectives and points of view add vitality to the compositions, and facial expressions reveal both emotions and character traits. A scattering of Spanish words adds zest to this fine read-aloud. Unfortunately, source notes are noticeably absent.