Taxi Ghost

Sophie Escabasse of “Witches of Brooklyn” fame is back with another out-of-this world middle grade graphic novel.

In Taxi Ghost, readers are introduced to Adele, a young tween from Montreal who, after getting her first period, learns that she is a medium. Terrified at first, Adele starts to come to terms with her newfound powers after she meets Ambroise, a young ghost who also happens to be a hacker.

But there is one ghost that Adele just can’t seem to shake. Jules is an older ghost who has been following Adele around for a couple of days, and he’s on a mission. Jules belongs to a group of ghost activists who call themselves Spirits with Souls to Save the City, or SSSC Foundation for short. Due to the increasing gentrification in Montreal, many ghosts have lost their homes, and now Jules needs Adele’s help.

Jules’ old home is in danger as an unscrupulous developer is trying to turn it into a mega condo development. To make matters worse, the developer is lying to Jules’ grandson Victor who is the current owner. All Adele has to do is talk to Victor and convince him not to sell. With the help of her older sister Helen, who is not a medium, Adele finally manages to do just that, but her problems don’t end there.

After overhearing Jules speak with another ghost, Adele learns that there is a renegade faction of the SSSC Foundation that is trying to use force to get what they want. Led by a disgruntled ghost named Anatole, these renegades have been vandalizing condo developments in the hopes of stopping them. To make matters worse, Adele’s grandmother (an activist, herself, who is very much alive) and a local grassroots organization are getting blamed for the vandalism.

All ends well though when Adele and company travel to Saint Helen’s Island in Montreal which has become a forgotten pavilion where displaced ghosts now live. During a showdown between Anatole’s and Jules’ followers Adele discovers that she also has the power to help lost souls move on, a power that comes very handy indeed.

A very poignant coming of age story, Taxi Ghost is another stellar middle grade graphic novel by Sophie Escabasse. This story has everything one would expect from Escabasse, a fun, fast-paced storyline coupled with a lot of magic, relatable characters, and plenty of laughs. Plus, the setting is fabulous as young readers get to explore Montreal through Adele’s eyes. And let’s not forget about the illustrations which are bright, bold and colourful, and really bring the storyline to life.

Overall, another win by Escabasse, Taxi Ghost is recommended for libraries everywhere.