Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale

"Deedy's text sparkles with sly humor. . . The stunning acrylic illustrations are full of color, light, and humor. . . This wonderful book will delight children." —School Library Journal "Austin's cockroach dwelling is a desirable piece of real estate, with its stairs made of gum wrappers, its wrought-plastic comb railing, and its exclusive mid-Havana address (it's a lamppost). A friendly sprinkling of Spanish words, warmly drawn relationships and a lot of puns all widen the audience for this spirited story." —Publishers Weekly "Lively and funny. . . Fun to compare with other versions, this telling has magic all its own." —Kirkus Reviews "Deedy's masterful retelling of this Latino folktale has a rollicking voice imbued with sly tongue-in-cheek humor. The acrylic illustrations, in a hyper-realistic 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." —Booklist The characters are larger than life and the language crackles with wit in Cuban-American author and story-teller Carmen Agra Deedy’s retelling of a folktale from her native land. Carmen Agra Deedy is a New York Times best-selling author and renowned storyteller. Her books have received numerous awards and honors. Carmen has performed in many prestigious venues, but children are her favorite audience. Born in Havana, Cuba, she came to the United States as a refugee and like most immigrants sees the world from multiple perspectives. She lives in Georgia.Michael Austin grew up in Florida and graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi. A creative director, he has created art for many companies, including record labels and magazines, and has illustrated a dozen children's books. He lives in Georgia. Read more