Life Hacks for a Little Alien by Alice Franklin is a poignant novel about a little girl on the spectrum growing up with her family. Throughout the book, you'll travel with her from her toddler years to teenage years. I truly found it so unique that this story was told in the second person narrative. How empowering to be nestled in this story in such a fascinating and transparent fashion.

Throughout the book, we never discover "Little Alien's" name, instead we are given the ability to see how her parents treat her, how adults react to her, and how her intelligence is underestimated. I love that Franklin also layered in "Little Alien's" obsession with the Voynich Manuscript, as this was so unique yet so common to some who lives life on the spectrum.

All around, Little Alien is an engaging and unforgettable narrator. She just has a way of stating this in a blunt, yet charming fashion that can leave you to woner their interpretation. Reading this book, feels almost like a play at times with yourself set in the central character, making you wonder how you would react to the situations Little Alien finds herself in.

I have to thank and acknowledge Sally Phillips for the amazing job done on the audiobook version. Her narration truly added to my enjoyment of this book!
Life Hacks for a Little Alien is a unique debut that is both compelling and profound. If you enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant, this will be for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for the chance to read and review this book.

I went in solely by title. I was instantly in love with our MC. They don't know why they feel the way they do. They just know it's a bit alien. And I never connected more with a character. It's so reflective on growing up neurodivergent without the term/diagnosis. Being a kid is hard, not knowing things, but your parents also not knowing things is even harder.
Heartfelt throughout it all. I loved this. Wonderful narrator as well.

The overall story was unique with some humorous moments. I understand the reason for the second person narrative but I'm not personally a fan of that style. It made sense for this and I think there are others who will really enjoy this!
I did not read a summary before diving into the book so I did think this would be about an actual alien on Earth and that threw me off a bit.

This is a quick updated review as I have already reviewed the written book.
Sally Phillips is a fantastic narrator for this book. She conveys very well the onlookers advice for the little alien.
I absolutely loved it. When I loved the book I realised I wanted to listen to the audible as well.
A huge thank you to #NetGalley for the gift of this wonderful story on audiobook.
Congratulations to Alice Franklin who wrote a really insightful account of a coded yet undiagnosed autistic girl
I loved it so Book I have also bought the paperback copy to put into the staff from in the hope that all of the teachers in my school will read it, and feel it

4.25 STARS

This book was written in such a fantastic way. I thought that the way Alice Franklin was able to write a main character who has ASD so well was phenomenal. It was so jarring and in the best way.

Life Hacks for a Little Alien is such a sweet book. It's very unique in that it is told in 2nd person. Little Alien is on the spectrum and the adults in her life aren't the best. She lives in England and is trying to navigate a world where she doesn't fit in. This book shows us how Little Alien sees the world around her. She has one amazing friend who is a perfect fit for her. Little Alien becomes obsessed with the Vonyich Manuscript. She has adventures and finds acceptance in people related to the Manuscript. This book is funny, insightful and shows to power of connection and finding your people. I am so grateful for this advanced copy from NetGalley. #LifeHacksforaLittleAlien #NetGalley.

Another sweet entry into the recent canon of stories of neurodivergent characters. This one features a young girl whose differences lead her to believe she is an alien. Though she struggles in school in many ways, she learns of a rare (and purportedly alien) manuscript in a documentary, and becomes infatuated with learning more about the manuscript and languages in general.

It's very much in the style of vignettes, often skipping years at a time and without a ton of linear plot points - more focused on the character development. Its detached tone, observational humor, and gentle wit all combine to create an intense but innocent personality for our main character.

Thanks to Little, Brown, & Co. and Hachette Audio for my gifted advance listening copy. I'd give it a 3.5 rounded up for the charm factor!

While Life Hacks for a Little Alien wasn't for me, I do think it has its merits. It's a book about growing up as a neurodivergent person in a world that isn't made for you. The unnamed main character is misunderstood by her parents, teachers, other adults, and even other children. This book feels much more YA or even middle-grade than new adult.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little, Brown & Company, and NetGalley for a review copy of this audiobook.

The little alien is learning about navigating life at school and home. It's narrated by an unexpected guide who has arrived to help the little alien. When the alien happens upon a documentary about the Voynich manuscript. The little alien is convinced the manuscript will be able to help. They tell their friend from school about the manuscript and they try to discover more about it. The Little alien's mother is also struggling and trying to cope by reading all sorts of how to books.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The narrator does a fantastic job. As a fellow Neurodivergent with an autistic child. I loved this book and enjoyed the point of view from the little alien. This is a must listen.

This is a heartwarming read with bits of humor and reflections on friendship, family, and what it's like to grow up feeling different. It's a love letter to language and books and libraries. Little Alien is a wonderful character to follow and I loved the unique storytelling style.

I really enjoyed listening to Life Hacks for a Little Alien by Alice Franklin. It’s funny, sweet, and a bit heartbreaking. The story follows a girl on the spectrum as she grows up from toddler to young adult, showing how she navigates life’s complexities.

We never learn her real name, but we see how adults underestimate her smarts as she deepdives into the mystery of the ancient Voynich Manuscript after watching a documentary. While she digs into that puzzle, her considerably flawed family life is falling apart.

The book highlights how much simpler life could be if people just said what they meant and I think it’s going to be a hit in 2025. Plus, the audio narration by Sally Phillips is fantastic!

This was an utterly captivating, original and insightful book about a young neurodivergent girl, her complicated relationship with her parents and her obsession with a mysterious manuscript. Excellent on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Emily Austin, this likely won't be a book for everyone but I enjoyed it immensely! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

What a weird and poignant book.

I enjoyed the structure of the book, the unnamed, neurodiverse main character, the 2nd person narrative.

I enjoyed the glimpses at several points in Little Alien's life.

I enjoyed the strange Manuscript tangent, and the prospects it holds.

I LOVED the Extra Reading bit at the end of each chapter. They were both hilarious and clarifying.

Two quibbles: 1) I would have loved more with Bobby and 2) No (good) librarian would deny a known child access to books.

Looking forward to more from this author.

My favorite thing about this book was how much exposure it gave me to a way of thinking and living that is unlike my own! Getting to really sit in the neurodivergent experience that this character faces feels like a rare gift, the chance to really understand someone else exactly as they are. That being said, because the novel perhaps has quite a young main character, I found the novel to feel a little too juvenile in subject matter for me, personally. The "further reading" at the end of each chapter was a whimsical touch, but this novel felt a little more YA than I had initially expected.

Life Hacks for a Little Alien was hard for me to get into at first as I do not think it was the book for me but as the plot developed I definitely became more invested in it. This book is told in the second person which was a different style for me. The character that it is told about is a girl on the spectrum and it as very interesting seeing life through her eyes and experiences. She was navigating her own challenges as well as growing up in a very unstable home life as her mother was mentally ill.

I experienced this novel as an audiobook and the narration by Sally Phillips was very well done. At the end of each chapter there was a further reading mention which was a very interesting approach and I felt it spoke to the reason this book was written (to bring awareness to people living on the spectrum and why they react to everyday life in the way they do).

I think this book would be a great read for anyone looking for a departure from the everyday and a new perspective. 3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley, Alice Franklin and Hachette Audio for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
Life Hacks for a Little Alien is expected to be released Feb. 11, 2025.

Little Alien is a little girl who doesn't see and understand the world the way other people do. When she sees a TV special that introduces the Voynich Manuscript, an ancient time written in an indecipherable language, she wonders if there could be other people like her. She begins research at the library in the quest to find the manuscript.

The book is narrated by an unknown narrator giving guidance to Little Alien as she tries to navigate the world

Trigger Warnings

Mistreatment of a neurodivergent child, not advocating for a neurodivergent child

Why Jackie likes it

I loved Little Alien's view of the world and the creative narration of the story. The book is a reminder that we can all overcome hard things and keep moving forward. I also loved the words used in the book- the definitions and the grammar lessons as well.

As a speech-language pathologist, I had a very difficult time with the adults in the story. They were not advocates for Little Alien. The educators made me feel ill at times with the way they treated a neurodivergent child with selective mutism.

such a unique voice and style of writing! from the first page, you dive right into the world of the protagonist, little alien. misunderstood and struggling to fit in at school, little alien happens to come across a documentary on an ancient manuscript written in a seemingly untranslatable language. she becomes fixated on the manuscript and finds a new purpose in her interest in the workings of language, which she spends every weekend reading about at the library. i love how the reader is taken on this journey of discovery with little alien and facts on linguistics are integrated into the narrative - having studied linguistics a bit myself, this really made be want to get back into it! the relationships little alien has with her friend bobby and her parents in particular were portrayed in such a nuanced way and really made me root for their family. despite their struggles, there is such warmth in their interactions, so that the novel manages to feel quite uplifting despite the sense of alienation its protagonist experiences. overall, i think it’s brilliant representation of neurodiversity and also just a wonderful read!

-Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC.-

I found this book to be super charming! The story, told in a second person perspective to make it even more immersive, flows really well. We see the world through the eyes of a wonderful, neurodivergent protagonist and as a neurodivergent reader, it was recognisable in a comforting way. The story didn't overly dramatise neurodivergency and the positive outlook felt believable to me. I found it a really original and refreshing take, a delight to listen to. The narration by Sally Phillips was top notch; I love how she really brought this novel and its characters to life.

This was a hug in book form, particularly for us neurodivergent folks. The author did a great job of conveying the frustration, isolation, confusion, and hyper-fixations that we experience living in a neurotypical world. And she does so with humor and charm. The audiobook narrator was also very good.

Wow, I really loved this insight into a neurodivergent mind. The use of the second person was what really grabbed me. “You are making a face” “you aren’t acting normal”. The emotions are so stark and making it a second person perspective, I think, created a lot of empathy for the main character. I was internalizing the problems, feeling like the idiosyncrasies of the main character were my own.

The family drama, the friendship stuff, and how it all revolves around this manuscript were all really interesting. I learned a lot, and I would love for others to read as well!

The narrator was great, and I think it brought the story to life well. I suggest listening to this if you have the opportunity!