Martina the Beautiful Cockroach Finds Out the Value of her Grandmother's Advice

I’ve read picture books about all sorts of different animals, but cockroaches are not subjects I’ve run across much, particularly in a complimentary light, so I was intrigued when I happened upon Martina the Beautiful Cockroach at the library. Granted, this is a Cuban Cockroach, which looks a lot different than the dark forms one usually sees scuttling about seedy apartment buildings. Martina and her family members are an iridescent shade of green, which is lovely in itself, so it’s not quite such a stretch to see how she could be considered beautiful. Nonetheless, I must commend illustrator Michael Austin for so successfully eradicating my preconceived prejudices against cockroaches with his gorgeous paintings. If he hadn’t managed so well, it would have been harder to accept Carmen Agra Deedy’s gentle retelling of the Cuban folktale.

Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha is 21 days old when this story begins. Like Princess Jasmine in Disney’s Aladdin, she now faces the daunting task of choosing a husband. Martina, unlike Jasmine, doesn’t seem particularly opposed to the idea, but she still wants to be sure she doesn’t get stuck with a lousy husband, so she reluctantly follows her wise grandmother’s strange advice to spill coffee on each potential suitor’s shoes. “It will make him angry,” her grandmother explains. “Then you’ll know how he will speak to you when he loses his temper.”

As is often the case in anthropomorphic stories, Martina faces an odd assortment of suitors indeed. A rooster, a pig and a lizard all come to call, and each seems absurdly inappropriate by virtue of his size alone, but each also has character flaws that are revealed with the simple administration of The Coffee Test. Where, in all of Havana, is Martina to find a husband who will treat her with respect even when she makes a klutz of herself?

This is a sweet story with a very specific cultural flavor. Sprinkled throughout the book are Spanish words: una peineta (a seashell comb), una mantilla (a lace shawl), un consejo increible (some shocking advice), el perico (the parrot), mi amor (my love). The opening two-page illustration also includes several products like Frijoles Negros (Black Beans) and pasta named for Romeo and Juliet, a nod to the romantic nature of this story.

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach emphasizes the importance of looking beyond surface appearances when embarking upon a romance and making sure you know how your potential partner is likely to react to a bad situation. These humorously enforced lessons combine with the intricate illustrations to make this a book as beautiful as its main character.

Lovable Cockroach Crickwing Teaches a Valuable Lesson About Bullying

Among all the creatures in the animal kingdom, there are many that strike fear into the hearts of humans. Snakes and bats are two of those, and Janell Cannon didn't shy away from those, so after that she turned her attention to a beast not so much feared as reviled. Cockroaches are ancient and incredibly resilient, and they have a way of turning up just where you least want to see them. But in Crickwing, Cannon introduces us to a cockroach that is actually adorable. And while he behaves unpleasantly through a portion of the book, armed with the insight as to why he acts this way, we can't feel too much animosity toward him.

As in Stellaluna, Crickwing begins with a startling encounter between the protagonist and a more dangerous animal - in this case, a frog. The close shave leaves Crickwing crippled, his wing throbbing constantly much like curmudgeonly Dr. House's hated leg. Since popping pain pills isn't a viable option, our multi-legged friend turns to art therapy. Concentrating on his creations gives him a sense of purpose, and the idea is that after he admires the finished product for a while, he will eat it. But that never seems to work out for him because he's such a small fellow, and there's always some bigger animal waiting around to swipe his dinner before he can enjoy it.

I was surprised to see reptiles and mammals in this book; while Cannon does manage to make Crickwing and the leaf-cutter ants he happens upon cute enough, the richly colored frog, lizard, monkey and ocelot are gorgeous. I especially like the illustration in which Crickwing cowers while a pair of wide ocelot eyes peer in at him through a crack. With so many brutes out to get him, one can understand why he might be tempted to assert that same sort of authority over the tiny ants he meets. But will bullying others really bring him true satisfaction, especially when a greater threat looms before them all?

This book came out in 2000, so I wonder if it was influenced by A Bug's Life; I see definite echoes of that movie in the storyline of the peaceful leaf-cutters being forced to present an offering to the ferocious army ants and in the plan that is devised to defeat them. Nonetheless, I found Crickwing to be both charming and refreshing, a beautifully written story of cooperation with astounding illustrations to match. While the full-color, full-page paintings are the most engrossing of the pictures, the tiny ink drawings the complement the text are also noteworthy, and the wording is carefully crafted.

I'd suggest this for a slightly older audience than Stellaluna, whose gentle themes of friendship and motherly love make for grand bedtime reading. Crickwing is longer and more action-oriented. Four pages of biological notes on cockroaches and ants follow the story, concluding this book of supreme moral, artistic and educational value.