Zezé wants to be a poet and dress elegantly. But at the moment he is just a five-year-old Brazilian boy who lives in a favela. At school, thanks to his exuberant imagination, he is the teacher's favorite; at home, however, his love of pranks only earns him scolding and beatings from his parents. It is not easy for an intelligent and sensitive boy like him to grow up in a poor family. Luckily, Zezé has two friends: the Portuguese, owner of the coolest car in the neighborhood; and a little orange tree that, one day, decides to talk to him.
First published in 1968, My Sweet Orange Tree is the moving story of a child forced by life's circumstances to become an adult before his time. In this novel, José Mauro de Vasconcelos recreated his childhood memories in Rio de Janeiro, blending realism, poetry, social commentary and a tenderness that continues to enchant generations of readers around the world.
