Is Karate right for Padge? Padge has loved karate since she was three. now she gets a chance to finally try it out. But then on her first day she finds out, "I have to yell?" Join Padge and her best friend Julie, who is already a gold belt, on their quest to achieve their Black Belt. This is an early chapter book on a 1st to 2nd grade level (Approximate Lexile value of 600). The Silent Ninja is the first book in a series that chronicles a young girl on her journey to achieve her Black Belt. The author is a primary school student who is a 1st Degree Brown Belt in Karate herself. In addition to Karate, she loves dance, reading, and cooking.