All This Was Fields Once

What begins as a family vacation on the coast becomes an emotional archaeology. Through a stroll along streets that are no longer what they once were, this picture book invites readers to rediscover the landscape—and the soul—of an era fading beneath the concrete. A necessary and beautifully crafted reflection on how urban development transforms not only the horizon, but also our very way of living together.
Rosa Ureña’s evocative illustrations, with their masterful use of pencil and subtle touches of color, transport us to that longed-for time.
A family album that brings us closer to other childhoods, brimming with lyricism and beauty.

Key points

2026 – 100 Recommended Books Award by Cuatrogatos Foundation

• Designed for shared reading, it is an ideal resourcel for parents and grandparents to tell children their own stories, turning the book into an object of family connection.
• It addresses subtly yet powerfully the transformation of the landscape and the impact of unchecked development, aligning with current trends in environmental education and conscious urbanism.
• It captures the essence of slow living and a freer, more community-based childhood—a growing trend in European and Asian societies.