FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lodi California USA Sometimes bravery doesn’t look like jumping off a cliff. Sometimes, it’s as quiet as a little girl lacing up ice skates for the very first time.
Danielle DuBois Swimley’s debut children’s book, Fearless Marie, is a gentle but powerful story that speaks to something many families will recognize: the moment a child goes from watching the world to stepping into it.
The idea came from a simple outing to the ice rink. Marie, the youngest of four, isn’t sure about skating. Her brothers leap onto the ice, but she hangs back, unsure, observing, bundled up in more curiosity than confidence. But as the music plays and her questions grow, so does her wonder. Eventually, she looks up at her dad and says four small words that change everything: “I want to try.”
“There’s so much pressure these days for kids to perform, to push past fear like it’s nothing,” said author Danielle DuBois Swimley. “But courage often begins in quiet ways. Fearless Marie is a love letter to the kids who take their time and the arents who wait patiently beside them.”
The book doesn’t just tell a story. It opens a conversation for children who are cautious, for parents who wonder when to step in, and for educators who believe in learning at each child’s pace. And for many readers, Marie’s moment of courage will feel deeply familiar.
Fearless Marie is also intentionally inclusive. It highlights adaptive skating equipment and features a boy in a wheelchair joining the fun with the help of his friends. These details aren’t preachy, they’re just part of the story, the way they should be.
With soft, inviting illustrations and a built-in glossary to support new vocabulary, the book is perfect for children ages 4–8. But grown-ups may find themselves just as moved by Marie’s quiet transformat
About the Author
Danielle DuBois Swimley writes with a heart tuned to life’s smaller, deeper moments. Fearless Marie is her first children’s book.