Marie and the Blue Whale: A Story About Making Safe Choices Around the Water Paperback – Large Print, January 15, 2026

Every parent knows that water can turn from fun to frightening in seconds.But explaining water safety to young children in a calm, age-appropriate way isn’t always easy.That’s where Marie and the Blue Whale makes a difference.Created by Nari Shin, a Water Safety Education Specialist and contributor to the early development of the World Aquatics Discover Water Programme, this premium early-years water safety resource helps children ages 3–8 build calm decision-making habits around water—before panic takes over.Rather than focusing on speed or swim technique, this book strengthens what experts often describe as the “cognitive gap” in early childhood water safety: helping children learn when to pause, what to notice, and how to respond safely.What Children Will Learn:• How to pause before entering water• How to recognize changing water conditions• Simple behavioral sequencing: Freeze – Float – Look – Move• How to regulate breathing under stress• How to seek adult support• Why safety is more important than chasing objectsThis educator-informed resource is aligned with internationally recognized water safety principles reflected in frameworks from the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Aquatics.The book’s structured behavioral approach has been featured in North American media, including AP News and Fox News, for its practical effort to “bridge the cognitive gap” in early childhood water safety.In addition to the core story, a Parent and Caregiver Guide provides discussion prompts, supervision cues, and reinforcement tools to help adults turn the lessons into everyday protective habits.Designed for repeated instructional use, Marie and the Blue Whale is ideal for:• Early learning classrooms• School libraries• Grade-wide safety modules• Pre-swim readiness programs• Family discussions about water preparednessWater safety begins with thinking—not just swimming.Add this essential early-years safety resource to your child’s learning library today. Read more