Sala de conflictos

Gr 6—10—It's Saturday morning, and 30 middle school students are in the part of the library known as the "Sala de conflictos" or "Room of conflicts." The group, led by a panel of three students, seeks to resolve a seemingly minor conflict. How was the love of Eric Padilla's life, his very expensive cell phone, destroyed? The only information available initially is that Eric had encountered fellow student Gabriel with his ruined cell phone in his hands and is demanding that Gabriel pay him 300 euros to replace it. At first, it seems obvious. Gabriel had the motive. Or did he? As the story unfolds, readers learn that there are a few other students who are not happy with Eric or his cell phone and thus might also have had motives to ensure that it met a timely death. At some point during the session, Vanessa, Carlos, and Cristina are afraid they will never resolve the case, until an anonymous tip leads them in a new direction. While reluctant readers might find the vocabulary, writing style, and structure a bit daunting, Sala de conflictos is a fascinating mystery that will keep readers guessing until the end.—Jessica McClinton, King County Library System, Auburn, WA