Ever felt like you landed on the wrong planet? Alice Franklin’s Life Hacks for a Little Alien is a uniquely told story about finding belonging in a world that doesn’t always make sense.
Our protagonist, known only as Little Alien, is a lonely girl in England who doesn’t see, hear, or think quite like the other children around her.
Undiagnosed as neurodivergent, she struggles to understand social expectations and is often left guessing at what people want from her.
However, everything changes when she watches a documentary about the Voynich Manuscript, an ancient book written in a language no one has been able to decipher. Determined to uncover its secrets, she convinces her only friend Bobby to join her on a mission to find the manuscript. Where that journey takes them will change everything.
“The Voynich Manuscript is a medieval codex written in an unknown language and an unknown script. The thing about it is that no one's been able to decipher it, even though it's been around for hundreds of years. And I think this really piques Little Alien's interest. I think she can see some parallels between the Voynich Manuscript and her own experiences. People don't really understand her either,” says Alice Franklin.
Told with a mix of emotional insight, humour and quirky footnotes (I especially enjoyed these!), the story beautifully captures the experience of growing up neurodivergent. As Alice shared in a recent interview, her “bewilderment comes from the fact that she is undiagnosed autistic…”
Drawing from her own experiences of receiving an autism diagnosed in adulthood, Alice brings authenticity and depth to Little Alien’s journey.
The metaphor of a ‘little alien on Earth’, is a powerful way to explore the challenges neurodivergent children face, from everyday social interactions to sensory sensitivities. The story addresses several themes, including self-acceptance, navigating a neurotypical world and finding practical coping strategies.
Life Hacks for a Little Alien is a must-read for anyone who has ever felt misunderstood and a reminder that even when you feel like you’re from another world, you can still find your place.
Alice Franklin lives in London and this is her debut novel.
Reviewer: Andrea Molloy
Quercus