This author was born into poverty but possessed a prodigious storytelling ability, a fabulous memory, and vast human experience that compelled him to write. His narratives often draw from personal experiences and his diverse life, from working with boxers to living by the sea. The author's writing method was distinctive; he would meticulously choose settings, conduct thorough on-site research, and then allow his imagination to construct the story. He felt that once the novel was fully formed in his mind, he was ready to begin writing.
Zezé is Brazil's naughiest 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 neighbourhood and inventing friends to play with. That is, until he meets a real friend and his life begins to change