My Sweet Orange Tree

Written by Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos

A misunderstood boy finds solace in a magical tree and a new friendship, facing tenderness and sorrow.

4.4/5 Goodreads · 89,703 ratings

272 pages

$17.99Save 6%

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Bookroo's summary

In Rio de Janeiro, young Zezé dreams of becoming a poet. Misunderstood and punished at home, he finds comfort in a magical orange tree and secret musical moments. When Zezé befriends a kindred spirit, his world shifts, revealing both the warmth of friendship and the depths of heartache. Will this new bond bring healing or more pain?

From the publisher

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.

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