While spending long afternoons with his grandparents, a young boy becomes fascinated by an old family photo album. What begins as a simple exploration of family memories soon turns into an unexpected mystery when he discovers a long-standing conflict between his grandfather and great-grandfather. Determined to uncover the truth, he embarks on an investigation involving forgotten photographs, a missing slot-car racing set, and a great-grandfather whose fading memory still holds the key to a decades-old misunderstanding.
Written by Flavio de Souza, acclaimed Brazilian writer, playwright, screenwriter, and creator of landmark television series such as Castle Rá-Tim-Bum and The Moon World, Caught by Surprise combines humor, tenderness, and emotional insight. Told through the authentic voice of a child narrator, the story explores family relationships across four generations, showing how affection, misunderstandings, memories, and forgiveness shape the bonds between parents, children, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
Rafael Sica’s illustrations enrich the narrative with a distinctive visual concept. Color scenes are paired with black-and-white graphic elements that evoke memory, family history, and hidden clues. The book’s design also mirrors a family tree and a treasure map, reinforcing the protagonist’s role as a young investigator piecing together fragments of the past. Through this interplay of text, image, and graphic storytelling, Caught by Surprise becomes both a family mystery and a moving reflection on memory, aging, reconciliation, and the enduring strength of family ties.
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Highly Recommended: Children’s Book
(Brazilian section of IBBY)
