U.S. Marine Capt. Riley Tejcek reads her new children’s book ‘If You Can Dream It, Be It.’ The book officially released on Amazon and Barnes & Noble on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (Christopher Moeller)
Team USA bobsled pilot and U.S. Marine Capt. Riley Tejcek’s new children’s book, “If You Can Dream It, Be It” encourages children to reach for the stars because opportunities are limitless.
Tejcek’s debut book is written for children of all ages, but the native of Carmel, Ind., especially hopes to touch the hearts of military children in light of Month of the Military Child in April, which recognizes the resilience and sacrifices of military kids.
“Every child whose parent, or parents, serve in the military make just as much as a sacrifice of those wearing the uniform,” Tejcek, who is a logistics officer stationed at Expeditionary Warfare School in Quantico, Va., told Stars and Stripes on Sunday. “I hope this book is a positive read for military children and they see that their parents, too, were their age once. They dreamed and became a superhero.”
“If You Can Dream It, Be It” officially released Tuesday on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. On March 4, Tejcek celebrated the book’s launch at Pure Placid — a home fragrance store — in Lake Placid, N.Y., where she read her book for the first time to young girls.
Tejcek has been working on this book for over a year-and-a-half, and it follows her younger self envisioning becoming a Marine. Growing up, she didn’t think it was possible to join the Marine Corps because she never saw a female Marine. That memory compelled her to write the book as living proof that anything is possible.
“A big goal of mine is to get this children’s book out there to show that women can be Marines, professional athletes, pageant winners, authors and so much more,” Tejcek said. “Kids should dream big and never limit themselves on what’s possible in this world.”
As young readers flip through the tale told in a third-person narrative, they will get a glimpse into Tejcek’s family background, military journey, becoming Ms. Military 2023 and career as a professional athlete. Tejcek is the first active-duty female Marine to compete in bobsled, and she is training for a spot on the U.S. bobsled team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Although the book features Tejcek’s own story, she said her goal was not to be praised for her accomplishments. She wants children to read the “fun true story” and influence them to be “bold and courageous” as they picture their future careers.
“I want my story to create an impact,” Tejcek said. “I don’t want people to remember my name. I want them to remember how I make them feel. I think there’s so much power in the art of storytelling.”
The characters that appear on the pages are based on close friends, mentors and teachers in Tejcek’s life that have helped along her journey. With Tejcek’s family playing a major role in her own successes, she hopes parents and guardians — who read this book with their children — find motivation to help their kids achieve and strive toward their goals.
“Parents are heroes of their children,” Tejcek said. “The way we talk about the jobs we have, and how we raise these children are going to be the core memories of what they think is possible for them when they grow up. This [book] is a fun little reminder for parents, too, that their children look up to them and what they do.”
Tejcek intended to highlight the importance of military service with her first book. She would like to continue writing books for children that relate to the Marine Corps and military.
“This book is very much centered on the military community,” Tejcek said. “I hope children can grasp onto this book and realize that when you serve in the military, there’s so much sacrifice that happens to keep everybody safe.”
