Secret of the Andes, written by Ann Nolan Clark, is a children’s historical novel first published in 1952. Clark was an American educator and author who spent much of her career working in Indigenous communities in North and South America, which influenced her portrayal of Andean culture in this book. The novel, which won the Newbery Medal in 1953, follows the story of a young boy named Cusi, who lives in a secluded valley in the Andes and embarks on a journey to uncover his identity and his connection to his heritage.

This guide uses the 1969 Viking Press print edition.

Content Warning: The book uses the term “Indian” to describe Indigenous South Americans, a term that is considered outdated and may not reflect modern usage.

Plot Summary

Secret of the Andes begins by introducing the reader to Cusi, a young boy living in a remote, hidden valley high in the Andes mountains with an elderly man named Chuto, who serves as both his guardian and teacher. The story opens with Cusi discovering a family of people living in a distant valley below. Cusi’s interactions have been limited to Chuto and their herd of llamas, but they are visited by a wandering minstrel who brings stories, songs, and news from the outside world.

Chuto announces that they will journey beyond the hidden valley to the Salt Pits, a place Cusi has never visited before. This decision marks a significant shift in the narrative, as Cusi begins to step outside the confines of his secluded life and into a world he barely understands. Along the journey, Chuto and Cusi cross a dangerous swinging bridge, travel through dense jungle, and eventually reach settlements where they encounter other people for the first time.

As Cusi and Chuto arrive at the Salt Pits, the novel shifts focus to Cusi’s growing awareness of his heritage. Chuto reveals cryptic hints about Cusi’s background and alludes to his importance, but he refrains from giving direct answers. During their interactions with others, Cusi learns that he is being evaluated for his readiness to carry on a significant cultural responsibility. This test of his maturity is marked by a symbolic journey to the Temple of the Sun in Cuzco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. However, Cusi’s experience in Cuzco is not what he expected. The people he encounters in the city are largely dismissive of his Incan heritage, seeing it as a relic of the past rather than something to be preserved. They treat Cusi as an outsider and fail to understand the significance of the traditions he was raised to honor. This disillusionment forces Cusi to confront the reality of being caught between two worlds—one that reveres his past and another that rejects it.

Cusi is taken in by a family who call him “Nicho.” This family treats him with kindness and provides a temporary sense of belonging. For a brief time, Cusi lives among them, enjoying the sense of community he had longed for during his isolated upbringing. Cusi must make a crucial decision whether to stay in this new life and forge his own path, or to return to the Hidden Valley and embrace the role of preserving the Incan legacy for which Chuto prepared him. Cusi ultimately chooses to return to the Hidden Valley. Chuto then reveals the sacred vow that Cusi must make to become the true guardian of the valley’s secrets. The vows include never revealing the hidden location of the Inca’s sacred treasures or the secrets of the valley. Following the vows, Chuto leads Cusi to a hidden cave filled with bags of powdered gold, symbolizing the lost wealth of the Inca Empire. The novel concludes with Cusi and Chuto performing the Sunrise Call together, a symbolic act that shows Cusi has fully embraced his role.