“Once Upon the Future: Everyday Adventures that Change the World” is an anthology of six tales that envision a more sustainable future.
Written by a group of researchers, these stories explore diverse sustainability topics and encourage readers to take action. To support educators, we’ve also created a companion workbook filled with engaging activities inspired by the book’s narratives. The stories are rooted in research on: circular food economy, nature-based therapy, urban governance for youth, cultural rural traditions, biodiversity regeneration, imaginative leadership and care.
Portuguese artist Rita Reis illustrated the book, creating a stylish and whimsical look. Susanne Moser, internationally renowned researcher and consultant on climate change, wrote a beautiful foreword to the book.
Learn more about the book and its stories at this short video:
ALMA in the WOODS
My story “Alma in the Woods” tells of Alma, a shy and attentive girl with a strong sense of justice. During a school camp in the forest, she finds herself lost. With the help of schoolmate Helio and through the encounter of the mysterious Ms. Meldametsa, she will find the right path again. Along the way, she gains a profound appreciation for the forest’s regenerative power and the interconnectedness of its human and non-human inhabitants.
Artwork by Rita Reis
The co-creation process
“Once Upon the Future” is the final output of a long learning process. As a team of six authors, we went through several rounds of trainings in storytelling and creative writing, aided by professional coaches and writers. Some of the questions we asked ourselves along the process were:
- How can we convey the value of interdependence without falling into cheesiness?
- How do we advocate for re-appreciation of traditional textiles without being overly didactic?
- How can we talk about urban regeneration with a hint of humor?
To find out more of the co-creation process, you can find a series of blog posts written by the authors of the book, at this page: www.sustainableplaceshaping.net/once-upon-the-future-everyday-adventures-that-change-the-world/
Besides for writing the stories and curating all stages of the book creation, we also created a crowdfunding campaign, to support the publication of the book with Babidibu libros.
More about the campaign, can be found on the OUF Facebook page and on our Youtube Channel
The first edition of the book was published as a deliverable of the EU-funded project SUSPLACE (Sustainable Place-Shaping), while the second edition was published with BABIDI-BÚ Libros, an ethical independent publishing house based in Spain, specializing in children’s literature. The book can be purchased at this link.
