My Sweet Orange Tree

By José Mauro de Vasconcelos

Book Overview

A WORLDWIDE CLASSIC OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE: a moving, life-affirming story of a mischevious boy from Brazil and the power of kindness and imagination.

Meet Zez - Brazil's naughtiest and most loveable boy, his talent for mischief matched only by his great kindness.

When he grows up he wants to be a poet with a bow-tie, but for now, he entertains himself playing pranks on the residents of his family's poor Rio de Janeiro neighborhood and inventing friends to play with. Zez 's pranks can be a little too mischievous - at least, so say his parents, who punish him harshly when he misbehaves. His father is out of work and the family unhappiness falls hardest on Zez , the second-youngest of seven siblings. That is, until he meets a real friend, and his life begins to change. With the help of Pinkie, the talking orange tree, Manuel, who gives Zez rides in his car, and with his own endless supply of resourcefulness and imagination, Zez will triumph over any adversity.

This worldwide classic of children's literature has never been out of print in Brazil since it was first published in 1968. Translated into an astonishing number of languages, it has won the hearts of millions of young readers from Korea to Turkey, Poland to Thailand, and many other countries too, with its inimitable blend of the heart-rending and the whimsical.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1805332112
• ISBN13: 9781805332114
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.7"
• Age Range: 8 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 7

Customer Reviews

Worth every penny

One of the most beautiful books you will ever have the joy of reading

A really good read

This is a novel that impressed me as a child in a very good way. Maybe I was too young to read it, since it involves poverty, child physical abuse, and death of a very loved one, but this book rings true. it made me take things for less than granted, and as I traveled around the world at an early age, I could relate very easily to the story. It brings out very human characters and how they deal and cope with a very difficult life. it is a beautiful read about love, family, and life. To me, it will always be a very personal favorite.