Exposition: Martina and her grandmother are the main characters along with a host of other animals who are living in Havana, Cuba.
Conflict: Martina is 21 dyas old and ready to search for a husband, but none seem to live up to her grandmother's standards or her test.
Rising Action: Martina lets the word get out that the beautiful cockroach is on the lookout for suitors who will be her future husband, but she is worried when her grandmother tells her she must give them a test that will show their true colors. Animal after animal comes calling, and none of them can pass her grandmother's test.
Climax: Just when Martina is ready to give up, her grandmother shows her another suitor, Perez, who has been around all along but has never been noticed. Martina gets ready to give her the test, and he performs the same test on her instead.
Falling Action: Martina passes the test and learns that his grandmother taught him about the test as well.
Resolution: Martina's grandmother and Perez's grandmothers both watch as the two begin a courtshio that will surely lead to a happy marriage.
This adorable tale has amazing acrylic painted illustrations that lend themselves beautifully to the setting of the story. The little details in the pictures like furniture and household items made from ordinary things like cans, combs, and stamps are created so that they blend in with the life of an insect, but also stand out with their Latin flare and writing. It was a fun book to read and also can be used to teach figurative language with the way it plays with words.
Deedy, C. A., & Austin, M. (2007). Martina, the beautiful cockroach: a Cuban folktale. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.
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