Jane Yolen 
Passager 

The legendary wizard’s early years are explored in this magical adventure by the acclaimed author of the Pit Dragon Chronicles. A boy is abandoned in the woods of medieval England. A year passes-a year of terror and hunger, of sleeping in trees and foraging for food, of outrunning packs of wild dogs-until one day a falconer captures and tames the boy as he would any passager, a young bird caught in the wild and trained. The falconer adopts the boy and teaches him all of the things he’s forgotten, including the boy’s true name-and the legacy of magic that will be his when he comes of age. Praise for Passager"This first book of the Young Merlin Trilogy will have readers awaiting the sequels." -The Horn Book"Steeped in hawks, mews, and wood life, the trilogy evokes a romantic, dreamy time. But its unadorned language lets the story emerge in a guileless way that will captivate young readers. This is a fine read-aloud." -San Diego Union Tribune