Life Hacks for a Little Alien

“An extraordinary debut about a little girl who feels alone in our world, Life Hacks for a Little Alien made me laugh, tear up, and feel hopeful. I love our Little Alien, the protagonist who sees the world with a remarkable wisdom that comes from her innocence and honesty, and I wish she were real so I could tell her how much her story is a perfect read for anyone who’s ever felt different, misunderstood, or lonely—that is, for everyone.”

“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.”

“Franklin’s fresh debut, inspired by her experience with autism, centers on an unnamed girl in southeast England known as Little Alien. . . . Franklin delightfully renders her neurodivergent protagonist’s attempt to make sense of what’s 'normal' and to understand how language works. This has plenty of heart.”

“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.”

"Wise and playful and tender and beautiful. A very special book."

"A rare energy lights this wonderful book: a unique recipe of humor, heart, frankness, and an unstoppable fascination with language."

"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, friends and enemies alike (even bad people should have good things). I laughed frequently while reading it, and was moved, and interested, and changed."

"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."

"I finished Life Hacks for a Little Alien last week and thoroughly enjoyed it. I found it to be witty, bold, heart-warming and entirely delicious. I devoured it. I also found Little Alien to be one of the most memorable and charming characters I've ever come across."