Taxi Ride with Victor

Jump into Victor’s taxi for a fun-filled dash round the galaxy, packed with surprises. Victor has always dreamed of being a taxi driver, indeed he wants to be the very best he can be – friendly, alert, wise to every shortcut. He’s certainly friendly, and his rocket-powered cab looks clean and comfortable but there’s one major problem: Victor is hopeless at finding the way. We watch as passenger after passenger is dropped off at completely the wrong destination. The grey-haired lady is left at the fun fair instead of the hairdresser; the young boy who wants to go to the funfair ends up at the library, and the librarian who wants to go to work is delivered to the dentist. Fortunately, no-one seems annoyed at Victor’s mistakes, and indeed, these turn out to be very happy accidents, his passengers’ lives improved by his wrong turns. For children worrying about the importance of getting things right, it’s a warm and comforting message, and for the rest of us it demonstrates how going along with the unplanned can bring unexpected happiness. Elsa Klever’s bold, busy mixed media illustrations are a delight too. She fills the spreads with details not in the text, including all sorts of flamboyant, multi-limbed aliens (Victor himself has four arms), and the out-of-this-world setting adds energy and excitement to Victor’s errors, and their unanticipated outcomes.