A new children’s book spins a ghostly and nautical tale set in 1950s Peggy’s Cove, N.S. “Peggy and the Ghost” follows two best friends who meet a ghost girl after a storm. She can’t remember who she is or where she came from, and it’s up to the friends to solve the mystery. “I love ghost stories, and whenever I’m in my studio painting or going for a walk, I’m usually listening to a ghost story or a paranormal podcast,” says author and illustrator Brianna Corr Scott. “I did just want to try my hand at writing my own ghost story for young people, and I chose Peggy’s Cove because I think that all of the nautical elements and all the superstitions really add rich detail to the ghost story,” she adds. Scott weaves some local history into the tale based on her research of the area at the time. “I thought, if this is for younger readers, if I set the story back in time it can make it a little less scary because it happened a long time ago,” says Scott. The mid-century story is told along with her digital artwork, but it isn’t Scott’s first time writing and illustrating stories. “Every book is different, every book is its own little world, so some books I’ve done in paper collage, some are watercolours, some are oil paintings, this one was entirely digital,” she says. “I just felt that making the ambiance of the lights and the see-through-ness of the ghost, I could really achieve with digital drawing, which I really love to do.” Even the title font is her own handwriting. The new book was published at the end of June, and Scott says the reception has been going well. “Any book launch, you never know who’s going to come. It was such a beautiful sunny day in Peggy’s Cove, and we had about 30 people there, it was just incredible,” she recalls. “All the kids wanted me to read the entire book at the launch. I only read one chapter, but they were like, ‘Please don’t stop, keep going!’” “Peggy and the Ghost” was published by Nimbus Publishing and is available online and at bookstores. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
