Summary:
Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha was looking for a potential husband! How did she spot the unsuitable suitors? With her Cuban Abuelita's Coffee Test of course! All she had to do was spill some coffee on the shoes of the potential grooms to see their reaction. After multiple failures, including some eligible bachelors, Martina found an acceptable husband in an unlikely candidate. Congratulations to the joyous newlyweds.
Visual Element of Art:
In Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, we are introduced to many beautiful colors to accentuate the different suitors introduced. For example, when we are introduced to the first suitor, Don Gallo, the colors are bright and vivid to show the beginning of the day as well as showcase his immense presence. By the end of the day though, the colors soften as we are introduced to Martina's soon-to-be husband Perez. We can conclude that color is used for two purposes in this book from beginning to end: 1) the "bigger" the presence, the stronger the color and 2) to show elapsing of time.
Evaluative Criteria:
Deedy and Austin intertwined words and images to help bring out the cultural aspect of the folktale. By using both English and Spanish, Deedy was able to help translate the original meaning of the folktale without compromising the origin. Austin brought these images to life by incorporating the streets of Havana as well as objects mentioned such as the peineta and mantilla. This gives the readers a taste of cultural traditions and language that might not be experienced first-hand. Coming from a Hispanic background, I can see the significance of the peineta and mantilla because they are objects that my grandmother used to use, so seeing them in this story reminds me of traditional customs that aren't widely practiced anymore.
How I used it in my class:
I teach 8th grade ELAR and we are currently working on the elements of plot. My librarian and I created centers around plot and students had about 20-25 minutes for each. Center 1- students were given a children's book to read and create a plot diagram for them, this is where Martina came in.
Center 2- students were given a baggie with a list of objects (Martina included objects like the mantilla and peineta so you could include these if you like) and needed to create their own short story following the elements of plot.
Center 3- students had to create an alternate ending, following the plot diagram, for a short story they read. What happens AFTER "happily ever after?"
Deedy, C., & Austin, M. (2007). Martina the beautiful cockroach: A Cuban folktale. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree.
