‘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’
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.
‘Wise and playful and tender and beautiful’ Bobby Palmer
Little Alien lives with her mum and her dad in the South-East of England. Her mum has a ‘how-to’ guide for every situation, and her dad is always kind and always right. And there is her best friend Bobby, who coincidentally has a bob.
But it is only when Little Alien sees a documentary about the Voynich Manuscript – a mediaeval codex written in an unknown language and script – that she begins to suspect that there are other people who feel just like her. Convinced that translating this manuscript will offer the answers she needs, she sets out on a journey that will show her a delicious taste of freedom.
So begins Little Alien’s story, told from the perspective of an older, wiser linguist, whose guidance will help Little Alien navigate a world that makes her feel like she doesn’t belong.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 304
Imprint: riverrun, UK
Publication date: 11/02/2025
Life Hacks For a Little Alien
By Alice Franklin
Review by Kazia
Franklin delivers an endearing debut with this coming-of-age style story about a neurodivergent child referred to simply as 'little alien'. The little alien's frustration over the communication barrier between themself and their parents, teachers and other adults in their life was devastatingly relatable. Also relatable (but in a much nicer, less heartbreaking way) was the great pleasure of discovering libraries, learning and linguistics. This book contains joy and sadness and complex, indecipherable feelings. Reading it felt a lot like being seen. An empathetic story which I would encourage anyone with neurodivergent loved ones to read.
P.S. The second-person narration is so perfectly suited to this book, so don't let it put you off!
