SOLVED. Kiteman of Karanga: MG-YA/fantasy - w/ desert, flying mount, some kind of important plant, and of course boy-meets-girl [s]

[Ibn_shisha]

No luck so far on Reddit:

80s? YA/Coming of Age fantasy - boy banished from home, crosses desert with dragon-like mount to another country, meets girl, fights bad guys.

Vague memories of this book read in elementary or middle school (so likely '87-91) recently surfaced, and now it's been driving me nuts trying to remember what the book was called. I believe it was a standalone story, but there could have been later additions I missed, having moved on to Eddings, Brooks, etc while still in elem. school.

What else I remember - I can't recall exactly what led to the boy being banished, but he crosses the desert and meets the girl and I think her dad or grandpa on the other side. The cultures on both sides of the desert are nominally aware of each but minimal contact. The culture on the girl's side has some sort of evil movement taking control, and the boy ends up helping her and the resistance. I think there was also some final resolution with his home people at the end, too. There was some kind of plant/crop central to the flying mount aspect of the story. I don't recall their being any other races than the 2 cultures of humans.

I know I read this before family's first interstate move, so absolute latest publication would be '91. Also, it was definitely not Pern, or Rawn.

I can't recall the cover specifically, but given the era and YA fantasy, I'm sure it was illustrated, likely depicting the boy and the mount in some way.

[Andria]

Kiteman of Karanga

[Ibn_shisha]

Thanks so much! Solved in few hours!

I have shelved book and updated post to solved. (and ordered a copy!)