book data
120 ratings,
2.91
average rating, 19 reviews
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published
October 28th 1976
(first published 1952)
by Puffin
binding
Paperback, 128 pages
literary awards
Newbery Medal
isbn
0140309268
(isbn13: 9780140309263)
description
"The story of an Incan boy who lives in a hidden valley high in the mountains of Peru with old Chuto the llama herder. Unknown to Cusi, he is of ...more
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| Wild Things: YA G...: Charlotte's Web | 13 | 32 | 24 days ago, 04:12PM | |
| Book Nook Cafe: Books you just finished, are reading or plan to read | 321 | 327 | 05/31/2009 01:03PM |
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 186)
All ratings
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5 stars (9)
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4 stars (28)
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3 stars (43)
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2 stars (23)
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1 star (17)
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avg 2.91
editions: all | this edition
editions: all | this edition
This is the book that famously won the Newbery over Charlotte's Web, and was that ever a travesty. I can accept that a certain number of books will be dull reading for me, but this isn't even well written--there are a number of places where the main character says or thinks things that don't make any sense for him; for example, if the only person he's ever known is the old man who's raised him, would he really call him "the old Indian" in his head?
This definitely goes at t...more
This definitely goes at t...more
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recommends it for:
Home educators
I love this book. It has inspired a great deal of learning about Ancient Indian Cultures in our home. Specifically, the Incas. My motherhood dream is to hike up Machu Pichu with my children in tow as a sort of tribute to all we've learned about the Ancients and Spanish Invasion of Peru and the Andes.
There's only one part of the book I don't care for. It happens late in the story when Cusi, a shepherd boy in the High Andes, becomes swept up in a family while shopping alone for the...more
There's only one part of the book I don't care for. It happens late in the story when Cusi, a shepherd boy in the High Andes, becomes swept up in a family while shopping alone for the...more
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Read in April, 2009
"What are you doing, Cusi?" An old Indian stood looking down at a boy who lay on an overhanging rock, gazing into the valley below.
I first read Secret of the Andes as a sixth grader, and I remember liking the Newbery winner, but I remembered little of it except the image of living in the hidden valley of the Andes - and llamas. I had forgotten that the story centers on a young boy who is the descendent of Inca royalty, the same royalty that was betrayed and slaughtered ...more
I first read Secret of the Andes as a sixth grader, and I remember liking the Newbery winner, but I remembered little of it except the image of living in the hidden valley of the Andes - and llamas. I had forgotten that the story centers on a young boy who is the descendent of Inca royalty, the same royalty that was betrayed and slaughtered ...more
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best known, if at all, for being the book that beat out Charlotte's Web for the Newbery medal. enjoyable novel about a boy living w/an old man, some llamas and a dog in the Peruvian mountains. the boy finds his destiny. one big complaint, my only one, the boy is named Cusi and the old man is named Chuto - why have the two lead characters w/such similar names?
better than Charlotte? no, but a good book and a good read aloud.
better than Charlotte? no, but a good book and a good read aloud.
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I agree that the characters are flat, and that somehow it feels a tad dated. I am not sure that today's kids would give a hang for Cusi as Clark has written it. It does give a good feel for the geography and culture of Peru, though I wonder now in 2009 how much of that is still intact.
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Read in March, 2009
recommended to Emily by:
Newbery
A book about an Incan Llama shepherd. He comes of age and finds out some interesting things about his heritage. I liked the mystery aspect of it. It wasn't my favorite, but okay.
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Secret of the Andes is a quiet story of an Inca boy growing up in the mountains of Peru, raising llamas. This boy, Cusi, knows little of his past, and has no home other than the mountains, no family outside his elderly mentor and his llamas.
Time passes and Cusi knows he must leave the mountain, leave his llamas, leave his mentor, and go to the city to seek out his heart’s desire. Will he find this heart’s desire? And, if he does, will it be what he thought it would be? A wonderf...more
Time passes and Cusi knows he must leave the mountain, leave his llamas, leave his mentor, and go to the city to seek out his heart’s desire. Will he find this heart’s desire? And, if he does, will it be what he thought it would be? A wonderf...more
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This book is up there with Sign of the Beaver and Walk The Worlds Rim. The people in this book are Incas,and they are in Peru. I knew some of the things in this book and that's because some things are in a movie that I have and I have a book about Incas and two other kinds of people.
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Read in November, 2008
I almost gave this book a two star rating. I can't imagine asking 5th graders to read it. It's a good book, but not exciting enough for a short attention span.
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Newbery book. The story of an Incan boy raised high in the Andes with a herd of llama. It's an interesting book, but it didn't captivate me.
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I have a hardback library copy of this. I don't remember much about it from my childhood.
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Read in September, 2008
This book was okay. Not a good plot in my opinion, and the charecters were not well devolped.
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Read in September, 1990
I read this when I was a kid, so this was my second reading. I enjoyed the Andean setting.
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Very informative of the history of these people for young children who enjoy reading.
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Read in February, 2008
This book was so boring and very hard to finish
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