Limerick author finds magic in the everyday for children's book set in Limerick

Children's book author Alex Dunne is set to release her third book and it's all set in Limerick. 

Originally from Clare, Alex has just returned from Canada where she lived for 15 years. 

She said that the timing felt right to come home and that she has always enjoyed writing about locations she is familiar with and that remind her of home. 

“All of my family is here and I wanted to be close to family. 

“I think after Covid, I've been coming back home for longer and longer stretches,” Alex says. 

Alex grew up in Shannon and is very familiar with Limerick city and its surrounding areas. 

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“I would have grown up with the big British books, the American books - I loved them, I was always a massive reader, but especially with the American books, I could never quite picture the spaces in the books,” she says.

She adds that this is what made her want to include landmarks she loves in her own work and why it was so important to her. 

“The local places bring a level of authenticity as well. I grew up in Shannon and really wanted to show children that  the places that they live can be every bit as magical,” Alex says. 

The children's author says that she knew straight away that she wanted the book to be set in Limerick. 

“Magic is absolutely everywhere - we just have to be willing to look for it,” Alex says. 

She laughs, saying that magic isn't just in the predictable places.

“I want to make readers think that there's something special in the everyday,” Alex says. 

In 'Small Magics', the main character Molly Flynn stumbles upon a most unusual antique shop.

Molly never really had a place to call home and goes to live with Pat, Priya and their foster kids above this amazing shop.

She soon discovers that they are no ordinary family and this is no ordinary antique shop.

When she first explores the shop, she  starts to pick up bottles and discovers potions and solutions to some of life's most niggling problems. 

There is a potion for removing stubborn stains from clothes, an anti-creak cream for doors, a bag to make fruit and vegetables instantly ripen to perfection, a scroll to summon lost socks from the dryer and a spell to let you know if you've left the immersion on. 

Laughing at how fun it was to come up with these, Alex says: “I had loads of fun with that - the whole point was to have a magic shop which had the things for everyday problems - the annoyances of life. 

“I made a list of all of the little annoying things and had fun with it.”

Discovering all of the magical potions and lotions of the antique shop is exciting, but soon things turn frightening and Molly has to help the magical creatures who are being mysteriously attacked.

The idea for the book actually came from an adult book Alex wrote more than a decade ago, which never came to fruition. 

“That book had the same name, but it was very different. Something felt like it didn't click with it. When I was writing this, I had a bit of writer's block and felt like all of my ideas were gone. I remembered this story and loved the overall concept,” Alex says. 

She says that only two elements of the original book were kept, but it provided the framework.

Just one character and the title remained as the only two similarities between the original adult's book and the new children's one. 

“I always tell everyone who wants to write a book to never throw anything out and I'm really glad I listened to my own advice,” Alex says. 

While Alex didn't originally set out to write for children, she released her first children's book in 2022. 

She says that earning that space on a children's book shelf is really special. 

“My favourite part of meeting young readers is when a child who reads your book says it's their favourite book and at that age, books mean so much, before they start secondary school,” Alex says, adding that books can take children into a whole other world. 

While the stories are written for children, Alex tries to blend the worlds of fiction and real life. 

“I try to ground my stories a little bit in the real world,” she explains. 

Alex also focuses on bringing Irish mythology, folklore and fairies into her books. 

“It's really important to try to keep that Irish connection,” she says. 

Since she returned from Canada, she has been connecting with other Irish writers and says that children have so many Irish titles to choose from. 

Small Magics will be released in paperback and ebook on March 30. 

Suitable for readers aged nine and older.