"Illustrations created in acrylic on Strathmore Series 500 illustration board...text typeset in International Typeface Corporation's Belwe Light"--CIP, p. facing t.p.

The Cucaracha household is crawling with excitement! Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha is 21 days old and ready to give her leg in marriage. To assist her granddaughter in choosing the right husband, Martina‘s Abuela introduces her to "The Coffee Test." By pouring coffee on the shoes of her suitors, Martina will be able to determine how her would-be husband will speak to her when he‘s angry. After several scalding situations with Don Gallo, Don Cerdo, and Don Lagarto, the beautiful cockroach is ready to abandon her search for the perfect husband until Abuela introduces her to Pérez the mouse. Children of all ages will delight in Deedy‘s humorous retelling of the well-known Latin American folktale of Martina. Deedy‘s lively Cuban version sparkles with wit as well as aspects of the culture. Following in Pura Belpré‘s legacy as a wonderful storyteller, Deedy‘s contribution enables the story of Martina and Pérez to be highly accessible to a new generation of children. The personalities that she gives her characters will long be remembered.

Grades PreK-3

Cat,juv,20080129,gik,UPB

Mod,juv,20080317,gik,UPB

American Library Association Notables (2008).

Américas Award Commended Title, 2008

Pura Belpré Award Honor Book for Narrative, 2008