David's Dream of a Better World

‘David's Dream of a Better World’, is an illustrated children's autobiographical picture book written to inspire young minds toward a future of sustainability and positive transformation. The book, available in both English and Greek, takes readers on an engaging voyage through the real life of David, encouraging children to envision a greener, more caring world.

The David character is introduced through text and pictures as a playful, slightly rebellious but curious and inventive child, who was able to easily drift into an imaginary world. The teenage college student David ‘Listens like he had never listened before’ when his teacher explains the urgent challenges of sustainability facing our planet. David reacts in the only way he feels able, to construct a rudimentary wind turbine using balsa wood and an old bicycle wheel. Undeterred by his friends' lack of interest, David resolves to continue his studies and become a professional designer who would look for opportunities to promote sustainability whilst undertaking work for clients.

However, after many years, David realized that genuine change could only begin with oneself and began work on his own transition from the traditional world to the eco world as he designs solar powered Helios Eco Lab in Greece, which over time turns out to be a living museum of sustainability where visitors are welcomed at open days. https://www.facebook.com/HeliosEcoLab. Under its large solar panel covered roof, visitors young and old can explore and experience first hand how embracing a zero-carbon, zero-waste lifestyle is not only possible but also inspiring, healthy, fun and cool.

David complains that ‘There are too few sustainability books for children, and still fewer that would encourage them to dream and realise a brighter, more sustainable world. We wanted to create an alternate role model for children than those that appear across popular media driven by celebrity and money. Depicting a real life story instead of a fairy tale just makes it stronger and more relevant’. Regarding the title, David likes it’s ‘Childlike, apparent naivety because it’s clear and unashamedly idealistic and one ‘Grown ups’, find excuses to shy away from. With children whose world is not encumbered by cynicism we can speak simply and clearly’. 

Printing the physical book on recycled paper created challenges but ‘That’s the whole point’ says David, ‘Sustainability in an unsustainable world is not always the easy option but unless we make the effort how will sustainability become mainstream?’. ‘We found that books are an industry like any other and chose to self publish in order to maintain the message and how it’s delivered’. Both the e-book and hard back edition are available for purchase here on Gumroad www.davidsdreamgumroad.com . Physical copies are also available at Oida  books store (pronounced eetha meaning I saw) in Porto Rafti. More book shops will follow. The book will be printed under license in Uganda, also on recycled paper on a pro bono basis. Further easy reading picture books are planned covering Energy, Mobility, Habitat, Discovery, Food and Well Being. David explains that ‘During our research we found that many adults saw technology as a barrier and liked the simplified technical diagrams in the appendix’

About the Authours

David is a British born designer, visionary and innovator grew up in a London suburb when there was little or no awareness of the environment and sustainability. Being mostly vegetarian was all that singled out David’s family life and David maintains this diet.

David was aided with the book by his schoolteacher friend Liza Mackay. David explained that ‘Liza and I were struggling over a first draft fiction book I came up with when Liza suggested why don’t we just right about your own story, it’s far stronger. I would provide the illustrations and a draft and Liza would craft the words and structure so children would be engaged and the book could be included on school’s reading lists’. Liza tried early versions of the book on her classes and it passed the test however there were some surprises; The book was as much a learning experience for me as them!’