Cover of Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale

by Carmen Agra Deedy · Grades 3–10 · Children's

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale by Carmen Agra Deedy is on US reading lists at grades 3–10. It appears on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists, across 1 state. Every citation below links to the primary source.

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Before you buy: Grades 3–10. The button opens the hardcover edition (ISBN 9781561453993). If the class uses a set edition or translation, match its ISBN first.

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Assigned across 2 curriculum lists · 1 state

Grade placement varies by school — the median assigned book spans 4 grade levels (83% span three or more, across 13,258 source-cited assignments).

On reading-award lists:California Young Reader MedalOdyssey Award (Best Audiobook)

This page shows where Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale is assigned in US schools — curricula, states, grades, and the primary-source citations behind each placement. Not a summary or study guide.

Reading level at a glance

Grade range
Grades 3–10
Listed most for
3rd grade (2 of 12 cited list rows)
First published
2010
Genre
Children's
ISBN-13
9781561453993

Sources: grade range from the cited lists below, last checked 2026-09-24; pages and year from our catalog record (sources); reading time is an estimate at 250 words a minute.

Good fit for grade 3?

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About this book

Book facts and sources (2)
On award reading lists
Catalog record
First published 2010 (source: how we source book data)

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Why it is assigned

This children's title is typically read at grades 3–10. Written in the 2010s; cited on 2 lists: 2 book-award lists.

Where this book is recommended

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Common questions

What grade level is Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale?
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale is listed for grades 3–10. It appears on 2 book-award lists across 1 state, from kindergarten to grade 10. Exact placement varies by school and district.
What curricula assign Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale?
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale appears on reading lists for California Young Reader Medal, Odyssey Award (Best Audiobook). Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
Is Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale banned in schools?
Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.

Why this book is on this list

How we classify

Each dimension below is sourced from a public reference. The full framework is documented on the classification standard page.

Lexile measure
Not classified — this book has no published Lexile measure.
Grade band
Grades 3–10 — drawn from the book-award lists citing this book.
Curriculum alignment
Cited in 2 curricula on this site (see “Where recommended” above for primary-source links).
State-level evidence
On state book-award lists in 1 state (see citations above).
Removal / banning records
No tracked removal or challenge records in cited sources.
Seasonal / contextual tags
Tagged for: book-club, read-aloud.

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