Diary of a 6th Grade Ninja 7: Scavengers

Diary of a 6^th Grade Ninja 7: Scavengers by Marcus Emerson (Allen and Unwin)

PB RRP $12.99   ISBN 9781760295615

Reviewed by Daniela Andrews

‘“We will destroy you for rejecting our invitation, but not with bruises or black eyes …”

“It’s your legacy we’re after,” the boy said.’

Chase doesn’t think his enemies can get much worse than pirates, red ninjas and wolf packs. Then he meets a new breed of kids operating behind the scenes at Buchanan School: the ‘Scavengers’.

Sebastian lost his title of President at the end of the sixth book so … guess what? It’s election week! Chase is super proud of his cousin, Zoe, and best friend, Brayden, for running in the campaign. Then he gets ordered by the elusive Scavengers to join their clan as well as run in the election himself. They want to assert their control over the school by ensuring a Scavenger wins the presidency, and they plan to help him win. Chase is annoyed. Who do they think they are? When he angrily tells them he would never run against his cousin, nor join their ‘creepy little gang of rubbish pickers’, they furiously tell him to prepare for ‘a whirlwind of disaster’. And they’re not wrong.

To get revenge, they enter Chase into the presidency campaign themselves. They then create a stealthy, ‘smear’ campaign that first angers Zoe and Brayden, then the whole school. Chase has never felt so hated, but the Scavengers have threatened to turn on his friends if he tells people who is behind the campaign. In true ninja style, there’s no way Chase is going to let them threaten his honour: ‘Things have got better, and I’ve changed. I didn’t want to get lost in the crowd anymore.’

Fans of the series will love this latest installment, which definitely shows some character growth and maturity. The story is action-packed and fast-paced. There are new characters to meet – Naomi, one of Chase’s ninja sidekicks, and Melvin, the school reporter. There are plot twists and betrayals, and there are discoveries … for not only will readers learn who the leader of the Scavengers is, but they’ll also find out who the mysterious white ninja is!