First published 1976
Cusi tends his llamas in a remote valley high in the Peruvian Andes. The boy knows little of the world beyond the hidden slopes where he lives with the old man who raised him. Each day he guides his animals to pasture and learns the ancient ways his guardian teaches him. But Cusi carries questions about his origins and his place in the world. As he grows older, the secrets of his ancestry begin to unfold. His guardian reveals the traditions passed down through generations of Inca people. Cusi learns that he belongs to an ancient lineage and must choose whether to preserve these old ways or venture into the modern world below. The valley that sheltered him becomes the place where he must decide his future. Through the wisdom of his ancestors and the patient guidance of his elder, Cusi discovers who he truly is.
Genres: family-life, historical-fiction, adventure, coming-of-age, ancient
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, identity-discovery
Setting: Andes, Peru
Period: 20th-century
120 pages · Paperback · Puffin Books