Taxi Ghost | Review

Taxi Ghost
By Sophie Escabasse
Random House Graphic, $21.99 (hardcover), $13.99 (paperback)
Ages 8-12

The author of Witches of Brooklyn returns with another fantasy-tinged coming-of-age story.

Adèle has just gotten her period, which means she’s also inherited the family ability to see ghosts. That’s how she finds out that spirits tag along with people who have regular driving routes, catching rides to get around the snowy city of Montreal.

Her sister, without the sight but welcoming, contrasts with their grandmother, also a medium but hating it. Gran considers the ghost sight a burden, causing both people and ghosts to bother her for help. Adèle has to find her own way to cope with her new ability, making her own decisions … and some new friends.

The characters are drawn in a rounded style, most with big eyes that make them seem friendly, even the ghosts. The spirits have single pastel shades, the candy colors adding to the atmosphere, one of fun rather than horror.

There are bigger storylines, too. The women in Adèle’s life throw her a “period party” to celebrate the milestone in her life. They want to teach her (and the readers) that “There’s nothing embarrassing about having your period, and talking about it is okay.”

Additionally, both Gran and the ghosts are working to protect their neighborhoods from too much commercial development, through different kinds of group action. That emphasis on community, both personal and local, gives what would otherwise be an overly familiar story a fresh take.

Filed under: Graphic Novels, Reviews, Young Adult