An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio by Judith Ortiz Cofer is a book about several Latina/os in New Jersey. Each story is different but they often intertwine with one another. What the struggle in this book is is with a multicultural identity. The characters in this book are struggling to find their place not only in their communities, but also within the US as a whole. I think this book is very very teachable. Everyone in the world knows what it's like to feel like you don't belong, be it in a group of people, at a certain school, or even in your own skin. This book could bring to light the fact that this feeling is cross-cultural. It also will teach kids that being an individual is something important and to stand up for what you believe in. The personal identity struggle is something that many students in 7th and 8th grade are struggling with anyway. If they can read about others who are in a similar stage, and have similar feelings they could really connect on a deeper level than simply reading to fulfill a book requirement.
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