Leslie Barnard Booth
I Am We: How Crows Come Together to Survive
Wild Arts Festival welcomes back Leslie Barnard Booth and her lyrical picture books about science and nature. She will be sharing her most recent release I Am We: How Crows Come Together to Survive, a 2026 Crystal Kite Awards winner, as well as One Day This Tree Will Fall and A Stone Is a Story, both of which were named Outstanding Science Trade Books by the National Science Teaching Association and Children's Book Council. In I Am We, her inspiration is the urban crows of Portland, Oregon. With a creative first-person narration by a murder of crows, and beautiful illustrations throughout, Leslie helps young readers take a unique and empathetic look at these fascinating but common birds. “A moody, poetic study of a brilliant yet oft-misunderstood bird." (Kirkus review) When she's not reading or writing, Leslie can be found exploring the natural world with her family.