Fifty years after its first publication, the multimillion-copy
international bestseller is available again in English, sharing the
heartbreaking tale of a gifted, mischievous, direly misunderstood boy
growing up in Rio de Janeiro.
When Zezé grows up, he wants to be a poet in a bow tie. For now the
precocious young boy entertains himself by playing clever pranks on the
residents of his Rio de Janeiro neighborhood, stunts for which his
parents and siblings punish him severely. Lately, with his father out of
work, the beatings have become harsher. Zezé's only solace comes from
his time at school, his hours secretly spent singing with a street
musician, and the refuge he finds with his precious magical orange tree.
When Zezé finally makes a real friend, his life begins to change,
opening him up to human tenderness but also wrenching sorrow. Never out
of print in Brazil since it was first published in 1968, My Sweet
Orange Tree, inspired by the author's own childhood, has been
translated into many languages and has won the hearts of millions of
young readers across the globe.