Francis Rothbart! The Tale Of A Fastidious Feral

"Follows a fastidious feral child who is raised by magpies and other creatures and is repeatedly struck by lightning. As a consequence of the phenomena, the child develops eccentric talents, which he then abuses, leading to his ultimate destruction by the same natural world that once nurtured him. Written mostly in rhymed verse, Francis's picaresque saga unfolds in an allegorical environment, much like the topographical constructions behind renaissance religious paintings"--