Life Hacks For a Little Alien cover art

Life Hacks For a Little Alien

the tender and life-affirming debut, perfect for book clubs

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Life Hacks For a Little Alien

By: Alice Franklin
Narrated by: Sally Phillips
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About this listen

 'Wise and playful and tender and beautiful' Bobby Palmer
'So brilliant, so original and lovely and funny, that it reminds you of the point of reading' Rebecca Wait

'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'

From her first words to her first day at school, Little Alien can't help but get things wrong. She doesn't understand the world the way others seem to, and the world doesn't seem to understand her either. Her anxious mum and meticulous dad, while well-intentioned, are of little help.

But when Little Alien sees a documentary about the Voynich Manuscript - a mediaeval codex written in an unknown language and script - 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 this charming, witty, and profoundly moving novel about the power of language, the wonder of libraries - and how to find a path that fits, when you yourself do not.

'Unique and thoroughly engaging. It is insightful and funny and gently poignant. By telling the story of one little alien, Alice Franklin has told the story of many' Pip Williams, author of The Dictionary of Lost Words

'Totally addictive and brilliant . . . Life Hacks for A Little Alien is sure to find its place as one of the best loved works of fiction' Aimée Walsh, author of Exile

'Immersive, moving, and fizzing with humour, I couldn't put this book down and I still can't let the character go' Paula Lichtarowicz, author of The Snow Hare

'A rare energy lights this wonderful book: a unique recipe of humour, heart, frankness, and an unstoppable fascination with language' Han Smith, author of Portraits at the Palace of Creativity and Wrecking

'Witty, bold, heart-warming and entirely delicious. I devoured it' Jyoti Patel, author of The Things that we Lost ©2025 Alice Franklin Coming of Age Editors Select Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Voices Heartfelt Inspiring Tear-jerking Witty

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Critic reviews

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. (Pip Williams, New York Times bestselling author of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick The Dictionary of Lost Words)
This is one of those rare books that is so brilliant, so original and lovely and funny, that it reminds you of the point of reading, and renews your faith in fiction. I adored it. I'm going to be recommending it to everyone I know. I laughed frequently while reading it, and was moved, and interested, and changed. (Rebecca Wait, author of I'm Sorry You Feel That Way)
Wise and playful and tender and beautiful. A very special book (Bobby Palmer, author of Isaac and the Egg)
Stunningly original . . . 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 . . . Life Hacks for A Little Alien is sure to find its place as one of the best loved works of fiction. (Aimée Walsh, author of Exile)
Witty, bold, heart-warming and entirely delicious. I devoured it. I found Little Alien to be one of the most memorable and charming characters I've ever come across. (Jyoti Patel, author of The Things that we Lost)
A life-affirming, charming book full of wonders, a love letter to language and its power of connection and a must-read (Sally Phillips)
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 humour, 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)
A rare energy lights this wonderful book: a unique recipe of humour, heart, frankness, and an unstoppable fascination with language. (Han Smith, prize-shortlisted author of Portraits at the Palace of Creativity and Wrecking)
All stars
Most relevant
This book was exactly what I needed. I loved Sally’s reading of it, and will hear her voice when I now go on to read it myself.

It felt like an ode to special interests and language, and it was a very interesting look at a neurodivergent internal life, and experience of family, education and friendship.

Wonderful

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I got angry with lack of adults (except Dad) ability to suspend disbelief but pleased that some made the effort. Interesting range of people and operating skills. Most of all I liked the girl.
I liked also it being in the present tense - like you’re nestled, peeping over her right ear.
I didn’t want to put it down.😀

How difficult it is to navigate life differently.

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As an autistic parent of autistic kids I found this to be extremely relatable, funny, and touching. Sally Phillips' narration was spot on.

A relatable look inside an autistic brain

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Second person narrator giving an Alien perspective on growing up and families

4.5 stars

She's not an alien of course, though she feels like it. Our unnamed protagonist always feels like she must belong elsewhere, nothing is easy to understand, she can't fit in, she's constantly told she isn't like everyone else and isn't as capable. Seeing this child through school, early adolescence, trying to understand her family issues (a mother with mental health difficulties) but a burgeoning interest in definitions, words and academics, Little Alien latches onto a documentary she sees about a medieval codex that seems to be written in an unknown language. Trying to learn everything she can about the Voynich Manuscript, she (and a boy she eventually realises is a friend) will push themselves out of their little worlds into a bigger one.

It's unsettling, both the narrative style (second person and who is talking about and to whom) and the story itself. We know Little Alien is probably neurodivergent, but nobody seems to really work with this at school. Not really knowing the time period, is this because it isn't accepted/understood, or are they just ignorant?

Seeing the world through her eyes though is charming at times, confusing at others, and frustrating knowing how hard it must be. But we see glimmers first appear as Little Alien learns to read, knowing this will open up her world for her - and lo and behold it does. This really does show that a spark of curiosity, a desire to learn, and books and libraries - it really can make a difference to lives.

Little Alien's family life evolves as her own growth does, and the book never lets us feel quite settled with what is going on. Even at the end it's not certain who the narrator is, who they are referring to, we never get a character name for our Alien, but we do see her growth and rise despite so many setbacks and challenges.

Loved the suggested reading at the end of every event - linking her mother's love of books with Little Alien's own need to understand what has just happened in a chapter.

Uplifting and enjoyable, I liked the audiobook and the narrator does a great job with the 'voice' that isn't quite overarching and isn't quite Little Alien herself.

Second person narrator giving an Alien perspective

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I thought the book was an easy listen. They narrator spoke in second person as if addressing the protagonist, which was unusual but worked well. The chapters were punctuated by further reading suggestions which were quite witty and sometimes revealed what had just been described in the plot. It takes quite a few chapters to get to know the little girl and her family situation. She is likeable and complex and I was instantly onside as she negotiated life’s hurdles from being a young child to teenager. I really enjoyed her fascination with language and eventually the Voynich Manuscript. The book kept me interested throughout and I would have liked it to continue further. It’s an insight into the thinking of a child who is on the Autistic spectrum and the miscommunication that can occur. I was invested in her story and wanted to protect her and tell her she was perfect whether she was from another planet or not! The narrator was great, although she did throw a lot in f accents in there! I really enjoyed this book and would love a sequel to find out how she navigates adulthood.

For little aliens everywhere

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