A thoroughly enjoyable quick, easy fun read

I recommended this to a friend after reading it and she has since enjoyed it immensely with her Son just as much as I did

A beautiful book for middlegrade readers, this book explores what it means to be human and an unlikely friendship between characters that feel like outsiders.

This book was compelling and I think younger readers would adore this story. However, as an adult, it didn't go far enough in some of it's themes or offer anything further to an older reader. I would definitely recommend buying this for a younger reader in your life.

How to be a Human is a heart-warming, humorous and joyous adventure that celebrates genuine friendships, finding the courage to be true to yourself and the wonder of the small things that are often taken for granted.
Kiki has been ditched by the Popular Crew at Fairfield Academy and is feeling hurt and humiliated by their meanness. Wes, who has been home-schooled, has moved to Fairfield during the summer and finds himself on his own, and a target for bullies. The Star Boy has crash-landed during an unexpected storm outside their school, and is hiding out in the boiler room until he is rescued …
The Star Boy is curious and is amazed by the natural environment, but what he really wants to do is study humans, so when he sees a Human Girl, he makes a decision to observe more closely, and it is not long before he enters into the lives of Kiki and Wes who are beginning to form a tentative connection. Can these three navigate the bonds of new friendships through shared and new experiences, trust and honesty?
This is a gorgeously touching and humorous story of navigating friendship, sprinkled with mayhem, hilarity and pertinent observations, that kept me utterly captivated throughout.
I adored the Star Boy – a.k.a. Stan Boyd - who has a real innocent quality and a refreshing honesty, as he explores what it is to be a human, taking joy in his rather unusual wish list, like travelling on a bus and visiting the Discount Carpet Warehouse. His obvious delight in his new experiences and friendships is infectious and brought a ready smile. Despite not being human, his perceptive observations on human relationships and his own understanding of what genuine friendship entails were spot on! I can’t wait to follow his next adventure!
Both Kiki and Wes are incredibly sympathetic characters, both having found the transition to secondary school difficult. Wes finds himself the target of bullies and is finding it hard to make friends, trying to deal with the bullying on his own. Kiki has turned her back on her old friends from primary school in order to be part of the popular group, but finds herself on the receiving end of their nastiness when she makes a mistake. They are brought together through shared connections, through their need to help the Star Boy and their search for real friendship.
This is a wonderfully heartfelt and laugh-out-loud adventure that is perfect for readers of 9+.

Whimsical middle-grades about the wonders of humanity and our planet are always books that I want to read. Little Tiger are a lovely publisher too, so I was excited to be accepted for this new release on NetGalley.

The Star Boy’s space pod crashes into the grounds of Fairfield Academy and he must stay hidden until a rescue mission from his home planet arrives. Finding shelter in the school’s boiler room, the Star Boy realises the unique opportunity that his accident has provided him with. He could study human behaviour in a way that no one else from his planet has before. So, the Star Boy selects his specimens -two Year Sevens called Kiki and Wes- to learn exactly what it is to be human.

Each of the chapters are prefaced by a beautiful illustration that depicts the immense power of space over Earth. Looking at this picture reminds me of how small and insignificant our human lives are compared to the endless expanse that sits directly above us. Much like the themes in the book, it’s precisely this smallness and insignificance that makes us quite remarkable.

The Star Boy looks much like you would imagine an alien to look like. He has some amazing powers that make it easier for him to blend in with humans but his natural form suggests that his race have evolved to survive in an environment quite different to that of Earth. His kind also have access to much more advanced technology than we do, making him seem very smart and able to get by (mostly) in a world that is completely foreign to him.

The Star Boy’s wonder at the most mundane things on Earth is so wonderfully endearing. Seeing the world through his eyes reminded me of all the things that we probably take for granted because they’ve always been there and always will be. Star Boy apparently comes from a place where carpets don’t exist, so he is enthralled by the idea of ‘furry floors’. Adorable, funny and somehow eye-opening to the wonders of our own world!

Kiki has a little brother called Ty, who hasn’t yet been corrupted by the desire to be popular, like Kiki has. Seeing his unbridled personality that shows no restraint and very little filter blossom reminded me of how little kids are so free to simply be themselves. He and Star Boy have a lot in common. They both have so much to discover and are full of wonder at the possibilities that the world holds.

One thing that Star Boy isn’t able to learn through all of his knowledge and technology is the complexities of human emotions. This is, of course, something that not many humans fully understand and certainly not 11-year-olds like Kiki and Wes. However, even Star Boy understands that the popular kids are not nice or happy people. The more time that Kiki and Wes spend with Star Boy, the more they realise that what really matters is good, true friendships, being kind to others and spending time doing things you genuinely enjoy.

How To Be A Human is a heartwarming, thought-provoking middle-grade novel about finding friends in the weirdest, most wonderful places and seeing our world through fresh eyes. It’s about finding connection both through the things you have in common with your friends and the things that are different. Whimsical, magical and comforting, How To Be A Human is a beautiful book that every young reader should read.

This is a really great book, i read this with my sister and she loved every minute! We thought it was a really lovely story and cant wait to buy it!

Kiki has become friends with the popular girls at her secondary school, but still feels that she doesn’t quite fit in. Her little brother Ty is as annoying as most younger brothers are, but he is convinced he saw aliens during the recent electrical storms. Wes is used to being on his own, without friends, so he expects to be bullied by the other ‘regular’ kids.

When an alien crash lands on Earth and inadvertently reveals himself to Kiki and Wes, the need to work together to keep his identity a secret is the catalyst for a new friendship between the unlikely pair.

Although an alien is at the centre of this story, it is actually a story about friendship, being popular and fitting in. From a teaching point, there are lots of inference opportunities as the alien describes things about Earth which strike him as odd, thus creating opportunities to wonder about what life must be like on his planet. A great story for readers aged 9 upwards. I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

How to be a human just does not fit into one book category!! The book made me laugh, cry, melancholy and amaze and that was just in one chapter!
The book opens up with a very unusual storm in the small town of Fairfield in the U.K. and we follow Kiki, an 11 year old girl who has just fallen in with the popular crew at school and ditched her old friends.
We then meet Wes he is also 11 and goes to the same school, but as he has been homeschooled he feels like he doesn’t fit in, which makes him stand out.

As Kiki tries to navigate being cool and Wes tries to navigate bullies they are drawn together and meet Star Boy, an alien who has crash landed on earth and is desperately trying to get back to space.

As they try to help each other they learn that friendship is give and take and all about being comfortable in who you are.

A heartwarming book that will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

How to be a Human is a story about discovering who you are and figuring out how to fit in with a charming sci-fi twist. Kiki and Wes are in Year 7. Bullies, humiliation and falling out with friends make every day hurt. They are alone and don’t know how to fix it.

When strange electrical storms and flooding hit their town, something isn’t right. Kiki’s little brother is sure he’s seen aliens in the sky and nature isn’t to blame for the damage around them. This sounds like nonsense to Kiki until she discovers a strange metallic pod hidden on the school grounds. Could there actually be aliens in their ordinary little town?

Ironically, it’s only when Kiki and Wes meet Star Boy that life suddenly starts to make sense. His observations of his “subjects” and life on Earth reveals truths about happiness, friendship and the importance of being in a group with those you can trust. Together they learn that sadness can be healed, that honest, caring relationships are so important and sometimes what you really need is right in front of you.

This is an insightful book about learning to stand up for yourself. So many readers will identify with Kiki, Wes and the challenges they face. Starting high school isn’t always easy and other children are not always kind. The honesty of this story shows children that they aren’t alone and there is a way through the difficulties they face. I love the empowering friendships that develop and the realisation that Kiki’s mum really cares about her even if they don’t always know how to communicate with each other.

Thank you to Little Tiger for this wonderful book!

How To Be A Human, is a lovely, quick read, with some excellent themes of being yourself and sticking up for others.

This is a heart-warming story looking at kindness, friendship, and not putting up with bullying. It teaches about accepting others and their differences, as well as appreciating your family and friends.

I enjoyed the idea of using an alien that has crashlanded on Earth for Kiki to realise what is important to her and how to be a good friend and human.

The narrative coming from three perspectives (Kiki, Wes and Stan) was an excellent way to see how their thoughts and feelings corresponded (or not) as the story went along. Plus, Stan has some incredibly funny one-liners when he makes mistakes and misunderstands whilst learning about Earth and humans.

A fun and light-hearted story, ideal for kids transitioning from Primary to Secondary school. Would recommend for Year 6s and 7s to read, but appealing to all readers from age 8+.

Thank you to Stripes Publishing (Little Tiger Group) and Netgalley for the e-arc to review.

Publishing Date: 5 August 2021

Rating: 4.5/5⭐

Synopsis: Entering 7th grade, Kiki is in with the popular kids now, but in a unfortunate dress up mishap, Kiki loses all her friends. That's when she meets Wes, a home schooled kid who's new to class. They soon become friends.
When Star boy's (Stan) space pod crashes on the grounds of Fairfield academy, Stan decides to take shelter in the school's boiler room till he can return to his world. Delighted at the opportunity to study humans at such close proximity, Stan starts observing the students at the academy. That's when Kiki and Wes catch his attention. Stan follows them to class and thus begins a great adventure.

Review: A heartwarming, sweet, funny, happy middle grade fantasy/sci-fi book about 3 unlikely friends. A beautiful book about the true meaning of humanity, friendship, family, loyalty, kindness and bravery. Perfect for young audiences of age 8-13.

The book deals with struggles of transitioning from year 6 to year 7 so well. The stress and friendships of high school are covered to the point.

Another reason to like this book is Aliens!

Stan (our cute little alien) reminds us of the little joys of being human. The small things we take for granted but are actually so beautiful. I love an outsiders perspective on everyday dealings of human life. This book reminds all of us to find happiness in the little miracles of our everyday life.

Multiple narratives made this story even more appealing to me. And the author succeeded in giving all three of them their distinct narrative. We could easily tell who was telling the story but reading the change in narrative. I loved seeing the world from each of their pov but Star boy's was my favourite.

I also love how friendship and family was portrayed in the books.

I hope to see a sequel to this book because I feel like the ending was set to accommodate a second book.

Even though as an adult the story was a bit predictable for me but as a kid, I'd have loved it! And that is the preferred market of this middle-grade book. So I'd say it's done a great job. Would definitely recommend it.

I really liked this book, it’s reasonably short and very action packed.

All of the characters are well written and the author made me feel like I knew them -very rounded. The illustrations are wonderful!

The ending did take me very much by surprise, and when I initially finished the book I wasn’t sure about it, however, having slept on it and processed it overnight, it actually teaches a very good life lesson for kids.

I think there are a lot of strings left dangling though, second book underway?

My thanks to Netgalley and Little Tiger Group for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review

This was a lovely story about an alien, Star Boy, who crash lands on earth and befriends Kiki and Wes, two teenagers. Star Boy attempts to study humanity, to learn more about our ways.
We see friendships change and develop, making it quite an emotional read. I particularly liked the idea of an alien bucket list and I think this part reminds us about the importance of appreciating the small everyday things we take for granted.
The chapters are told by each of the characters which helps to immerse you into the story, getting to know how each character feels and their thoughts.
A heart warming read.

Freak weather events keep happening in Fairfield, and Kiki’s brother is adamant he saw aliens.
Kiki herself is more concerned with fitting in with the popular crowd at school to worry about any of that… until she arrives at a party in the wrong kind of outfit and her “friends” dump her. She starts to spend time with Wes - the outsider who had been homeschooled until the start of Year 7, and they begin to realise they have a lot in common - separated parents, struggling to settle at secondary school.

The they meet Star Boy - or Stan - and he changes their world for the better.

Told in a 3 person narrative, Karen McCombie does a great job of giving Kiki, Wes and Star Boy their own voices. She captures the stresses of high school and what friendship and family means at the age of 11/12.

Written with McCombie’s trademark warmth, humour and surprisingly believable characters, this is an enjoyable and easy read which will appeal to all genders - boy, girl, alien and other!

Wes and Kiki seem very different. Kiki has recently become friends with the popular girls at school, though this could be about to all go wrong. Wes doesn't have friends at school and spends his time trying to avoid the bullies. They are brought together by Stan, a Star Boy who has come to earth during an unusual storm. With Stan, Kiki and Wes learn what friendship really means and that help can sometimes come from where you least expect it.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked how normal Kiki's family seemed to be and felt that her reactions to things were realistic.

How to Be a Human was a beautiful middle grade book that featured friendship and aliens!

The plot followed Kiki, Wes and Star Boy. Kiki and Wes discover Star Boy and show him the earthly marvel he longs to see. The story's theme of friendship between the characters was heartwarming!

The writing was in triple narrative all of which were quite engaging. Star Boy's antics were hilarious and he was definitely my favourite character!

Overall this was a brilliant read and I would definitely recommend it!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the E-arc!

Triple perspective from Kiki, Wes & Starboy in this delightful alien adventure reminiscent of Wonder by Karen McCombie. With Y6/transition themes of what friendship really looks like in high school, this warm, life-affirming tale will be loved by all KS2. Humour & Heart, this is a perfect pacy little read.

“It was ALIENS! I watched them out of my bedroom window!”

This is a heartwarming story of what happens when a boy from another world meets two aliens from Earth.

Star Boy has taught himself some of Earth’s languages and has learned some things about its inhabitants from the Master but he’s never had the opportunity to observe them this closely before.

Kiki has a new group of friends at Riverside Academy. She loves being part of the Popular Crew but she feels bad about ditching her old friends.

Wes used to be homeschooled and doesn’t fit in at Riverside Academy. Although he hasn’t made any friends yet, the bullies have definitely noticed him.

Together these two lonely humans and Star Boy will learn what it means to be human, the wonders that exist all around us and the value of friendship. I adored Star Boy, whose enthusiasm for all things Earth could very well make you see the things you take for granted in a whole new light. I’m certain that it’s no coincidence that he has three hearts.

Although adult me found this story very predictable, I stilled smiled every time Star Boy encountered some new reason to be joyful. Kid me would have been enthralled, no doubt searching the skies for a new alien friend. Both me’s are hoping for a sequel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Stripes Publishing, an imprint of Little Tiger Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

this was a funny book with lots of twists and turns. I loved the way that it was told from different piont of veiws and how good the end was. Kids aged 9-12 will love it and especially kids who like aliens and outer space. Five stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved Karen McCombie as a kid and reading this book made me feel like I was a kid again, excited by the aliens and laughing along with the book, but reading as an adult I quickly realised what the moral of this story would turn out to be and I enjoyed reading along and knowing that message will be heard by a lot of people who need it (which includes me when I was in my late teens).

A really quick, light-hearted children’s book that I really enjoyed reading, so thank you very much to @netgalley @stripesbooks and @littletigerbooks for this ARC!

Out 5th August 2021

How to be a Human by Karen McCombie

The chapters in this book reminded me a bit of Wonder as they switch between the three main characters perspectives Kiki, Starboy (or his human name Stan Boyd) and Wes.

This book starts with a big storm which makes Starboy's spaceship falls to earth after an accidental bump in space. When Kiki falls out with her friend, she finds a new group of friends but they aren't very kind. She notices everything is getting stranger everytime her friends aren't nice to her and she can see things she shouldn't be able to see. Kiki makes friends with Wes and together they discover Starboy and help him learn more about life on earth.

This book was really good so I find it hard to choose a favourite bit but my favourite bit of this book was when Starboy was going invisible and visible. It made me laugh!

You should read this book if you like books about new friends and science fiction.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐