
By Carmen Agra Deedy, Michael Austin (Illustrator)
Can a cockroach find true love with a coffee test?
Martina, a charming cockroach, seeks love but is clueless about marriage. Her grandmother suggests a unique test: spill coffee on suitors' shoes to gauge their temper. As each fails the Coffee Test, Martina questions if true love is possible. Will she find a partner who passes this unusual trial, or is she destined to remain alone? Dive into this whimsical retelling of a Cuban folktale, where a little green cockroach's quest for love is as unpredictable as it is heartwarming.
The beautiful Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha doesn’t know coffee beans about love and marriage, so when suitors come calling, what is she to do? Luckily, she has her Cuban family to help! While some of the Cucarachas offer Martina gifts to make her more attractive, only Abuela, her grandmother, gives her some useful advice: spill coffee on his shoes to see how he handles anger. At first, Martina is skeptical of her Abuela’s suggestion, but when suitor after suitor fails the Coffee Test, she wonders if a little green cockroach can ever find true love. After reading this award-winning retelling of the Cuban folktale, readers will never look at a cockroach the same way again. Carmen Agra Deedy delivers a delightfully inventive Cuban twist on the beloved Martina folktale, complete with a dash of café Cubano.
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