Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda

It starts out in Rin where the stream that flows down the mountain has run dry and the Buksha have no water to drink. (The Busksha are native bull like creatures) That means that there is no milk or cheese for the people of Rin. They go to ask Sheba the village witch, and she says "you must climb the mountain and remove the blockage" This may sound easy but the mountain is home to horrible and unspeakeable things and the Dragon! Sheba then throws a stick at Rowan. A skinny little boy who is scared of his own shadow, which later turns out to be a map which happpens to show the wall up the mountain and only shows the way in Rowan's hands and he has to go to their mountain! A great book I recommend it for 8+ Reviewd by David