Life Hacks for a Little Alien

De: Alice Franklin

Narrado por: Sally Phillips

Perfect for fans of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Remarkably Bright Creatures, this is a charming, witty, and profoundly moving novel about what it feels like to grow up neurodivergent.

"An extraordinary debut that made me laugh, tear up, and feel hopeful." —Angie Kim, author of Happiness Falls

“Climb up here, Little Alien. Sit next to me. I will tell you about life on this planet. I will tell you how it goes.”

Before she thinks of herself as Little Alien, our protagonist is a lonely girl who doesn’t understand the world the way other children seem to. So when a late-night TV special introduces her to the mysterious Voynich Manuscript—an ancient tome written in an indecipherable language—Little Alien experiences something she hasn’t before: hope. Could there be others like her, who also feel like they’re from another planet?

Convinced the Voynich Manuscript holds the answers she needs, Little Alien and her best (and only) friend Bobby decide they must find this strange book. Where that decision leads them will change everything.

Narrated by an unexpected guide who has arrived to give Little Alien the advice she’ll need to find her way, Life Hacks for a Little Alien is both a coming-of-age adventure and a love letter to language. Alice Franklin will have you swinging from stitches to tears on the uneven path to finding a life that fits, even when you yourself do not.

©2025 Alice Franklin (P)2025 Little, Brown & Company

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Unique and thoroughly engaging. Life Hacks for a Little Alien tells a story about feeling different. It is insightful and funny and gently poignant. By telling the story of one little alien, Alice Franklin has told the story of many. By creating a character obsessed with an ancient manuscript whose text cannot be deciphered, she has illuminated the power of language and our desire, whether we are human or alien, to be understood. I was reading other books when I picked this up, but after reading the first page I could not put it down—the other books had to wait.”—Pip Williams, New York Times bestselling author of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Dictionary of Lost Words

“A hymn to language, human uniqueness, and our fundamental need to connect, Life Hacks for a Little Alien speaks to the little alien inside all of us. Immersive, moving, and fizzing with humor, I couldn’t put this book down and I still can’t let the character go. Alice Franklin has written a tender and important story about difference and acceptance, and above all, the power of friendship. I absolutely loved it.”—Paula Lichtarowicz, author of The Snow Hare

"Alice Franklin is a new writer that should be on every 'Books of 2025' list. Reading Life Hacks for A Little Alien, I was blown away by its stunningly original approach to the literary form. It's one of those books which left me closing the final page and wishing I could read it afresh again for the first time. Beautiful, moving, and life-affirming, Alice Franklin's prose is a triumph to read. Totally addictive and brilliant. The prose flows like Paul Murray's The Bee Sting via Ruth Ozeki's The Book of Form and Emptiness, which is to say: Life Hacks for A Little Alien is sure to find its place as one of the best loved works of fiction."—Aimee Walsh, author of Exile

Interesting perspective, had some quirks

I thought the idea of having an autistic person feel like an alien, recognizing her differences about feeling different but not knowing why was really a good take. There were some weird gaps going on and a few scenarios that didn't add anything to the story, namely the teacher being too lazy to research the subject of her essay and again when Alien was being interviewed/evaluated.

That said though, I had a difficult time getting past the second person narrative in this book. Also was not a fan of the footnotes. Author used them to try to summarize points from the previous chapter, obviously... but they were a distraction for me. I also didn't like the ending, seemed abrupt and also made me feel sad for our Little Alien.

It was okay, but would not recommend. To each his own.

Capturing neurodivergent thoughts

It was so interested listening to the cadence, accents, and tone of the narrator as she captured the world through the “little alien’s” experience.

Sweet and Illuminating

This was a really lovely little book. It was insightful and illuminating and, personally, a little healing. For any parent of a child with ASD, this book will, I think, make you understand your child better. It certainly has made me view my own even more gently.

The author is gentle, tender, and feels like she really is cherishing her role in this story.

Your heart will ache for many of the characters, but you'll also leave it feeling hopeful and filled.

Little Alien

I fell in love with this book. Very different from my normal reads. This will live rent free in my mind for many years.

Unique and lovely!

An entertaining and approachable window into world of neurodivergence. A tender, yet funny mirror for the rest of us. An all-around unique structure for story-telling.