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My BFF Is an Alien #1
My BFF Is an Alien
Third prize winner of the POPULAR Readers' Choice Awards 2020, English (Children) Category
Meet Abriana Yeo, 13, awkward and friendless. Meet Octavia Wu, a graceful teenage alien with superpowers. Forced to flee her home planet Viridis after an invasion by "The Others", another alien species, Octavia and her parents crash-land in the Singapore heartland.
Pretending to be a foreign student, Octavia enters secondary one and befriends Abriana, who then helps her in her quest to find the Anteris, a missing element the alien family needs if they want to return to Viridis to help in the war effort. All the while, the two girls also need to navigate the intricate web of teenage drama at Bukit Timah Secondary Girls’ School (BTSGS), where mean girls thwart their search efforts every step of the way.
Behind the adventure, mystery and sci-fi, this middle-grade novel also explores the pertinent issues that teenagers typically deal with in a local school setting—friendship, loyalty, CCAs, homework and bullies. There is also no shortage of excitement and intrigue in this sci-fi and adventure. This is the first in a four-book series, for children aged 10 and above.
Meet Abriana Yeo, 13, awkward and friendless. Meet Octavia Wu, a graceful teenage alien with superpowers. Forced to flee her home planet Viridis after an invasion by "The Others", another alien species, Octavia and her parents crash-land in the Singapore heartland.
Pretending to be a foreign student, Octavia enters secondary one and befriends Abriana, who then helps her in her quest to find the Anteris, a missing element the alien family needs if they want to return to Viridis to help in the war effort. All the while, the two girls also need to navigate the intricate web of teenage drama at Bukit Timah Secondary Girls’ School (BTSGS), where mean girls thwart their search efforts every step of the way.
Behind the adventure, mystery and sci-fi, this middle-grade novel also explores the pertinent issues that teenagers typically deal with in a local school setting—friendship, loyalty, CCAs, homework and bullies. There is also no shortage of excitement and intrigue in this sci-fi and adventure. This is the first in a four-book series, for children aged 10 and above.
- GenresMiddle Grade
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2021
3 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 6, 2020
A light and fun read for young adults, may scenes are familiar with real life, could well happen with your BFFs when young. And, really hate bullies at school.
June 6, 2020
Abriana Yeo has to navigate the perils of entering Secondary One. Her former BFF from primary school has not only gone cold on her but seems to have joined the mean girls!
New girl Octavia Wu is athletic and charismatic, but also harbours a secret. She needs to find the “anteris”, a precious element that will help her and her family get back to the planet she’s from. A planet which is at war.
The two thirteen-year-olds have to search Singapore’s water bodies for the fallen element, as well as get through school camp and nasty-to-boot bully, Jessica. I sped through this book to the heart-pounding climactic end.
I’m utterly amazed at the body of work that has grown in Singapore in this genre. My BFF is an Alien joins the likes of Princess Incognito and Mount Emily in presenting a richly-built world so unique and yet so universal to all our childhoods.
New girl Octavia Wu is athletic and charismatic, but also harbours a secret. She needs to find the “anteris”, a precious element that will help her and her family get back to the planet she’s from. A planet which is at war.
The two thirteen-year-olds have to search Singapore’s water bodies for the fallen element, as well as get through school camp and nasty-to-boot bully, Jessica. I sped through this book to the heart-pounding climactic end.
I’m utterly amazed at the body of work that has grown in Singapore in this genre. My BFF is an Alien joins the likes of Princess Incognito and Mount Emily in presenting a richly-built world so unique and yet so universal to all our childhoods.
June 6, 2020
My bff is an alien is an engaging page-turner with interesting and exciting plots. It’s the first of a 4-book series. Middle-graders will definitely find the story relatable and enjoyable. Can’t wait for book#2 in Oct. Highly recommended!
September 12, 2020
Love this family-friendly story set in Singapore :)
December 29, 2025
Great and awesome read! Vivian Teo is an excellent author. 😉
October 16, 2020
I like this book as it is about a girl called Abraina 👩💼 who is in Secondary 1, Class 1C of Bukit Timah Secondary Girl's School. She just meets her best friend, Octavia👩💼 who comes from the planet of Viridis 🌑, which is at war. Octavia soon reveals her secret to Abraina, that she is an Alien👽. Coincidentally, they find out that they are next door neighbours🏠🏠. After Octavia and her family are sent to Earth 🌍 by Octavia's grandmother, ruler of Viridis 🌑, the family's spaceship🚀 crashed and loses the Anteris 🌘, a precious element to power Octavia's family's 👨👩👧 spaceship🚀. The two thirteen year olds have to find it before the tunnel the family's spaceship used to escape Viridis 🌑 collapses. However their mean classmates, consisting of Abri's best friend before she meet Octavia, Naomi 👩🦰, thwart their quest.
The two girls keep persevering throughout the challenges, but the important question❓is: Can they find the Anteris 🌘 so that Octavia can go home to Viridis 🌑 or will she be stranded on Earth 🌍 forever?
This book is a imaginative and enjoyable story about friendship and standing up for yourself. After you read this book, you will wish you had a alien BFF👭 too.
The two girls keep persevering throughout the challenges, but the important question❓is: Can they find the Anteris 🌘 so that Octavia can go home to Viridis 🌑 or will she be stranded on Earth 🌍 forever?
This book is a imaginative and enjoyable story about friendship and standing up for yourself. After you read this book, you will wish you had a alien BFF👭 too.
June 13, 2020
Miss 11 and Miss 9 both read this book within a day and totally loved it!
Miss 11 said she’d rate it 9/10 ⭐️ and only docked one star off because it was too short!
Good thing then that this is Book 1 of a series!
Miss 9 said it was dramatic and fast paced and just made you want to keep reading.
Personally, I found the book really well-written, with great nuggets of descriptive vocabulary that were effectively scattered throughout the book. I was impressed!
The plot of the story was gripping too, and the alien BFF is certainly not what you’d expect of a typical extra-terrestrial. 😉
Freshly launched in March 2020, it certainly is a SingLit book that every kid will enjoy!
Thanks @vivianteowriter for writing this fascinating book and for sending it over for review!
#readingnationsg #whatareyoureadingsg
#bookstagrammer #bibliophile #bookreview #bookpost #lbbreads #ilovereading #lbbreads #buysinglit #supportlocal #readourworld #mybffisanalien #middlegradelit
Miss 11 said she’d rate it 9/10 ⭐️ and only docked one star off because it was too short!
Good thing then that this is Book 1 of a series!
Miss 9 said it was dramatic and fast paced and just made you want to keep reading.
Personally, I found the book really well-written, with great nuggets of descriptive vocabulary that were effectively scattered throughout the book. I was impressed!
The plot of the story was gripping too, and the alien BFF is certainly not what you’d expect of a typical extra-terrestrial. 😉
Freshly launched in March 2020, it certainly is a SingLit book that every kid will enjoy!
Thanks @vivianteowriter for writing this fascinating book and for sending it over for review!
#readingnationsg #whatareyoureadingsg
#bookstagrammer #bibliophile #bookreview #bookpost #lbbreads #ilovereading #lbbreads #buysinglit #supportlocal #readourworld #mybffisanalien #middlegradelit
November 27, 2024
I’m absolutely in love with this book, which is the first in a series of five books, including a prequel. The protagonist is so real and relatable, and the writing’s humorous and heartwarming too. My kid, who’s the target age group for this book, finished all five books in record time, and is still rereading the series. It’s a must-read for those who want an imaginative adventure story set in Singapore.
January 29, 2023
My BFF is an Alien is the first book in a 4 book series written by Vivian Teo. It is set in Singapore. The protagonist of the story is Abriana Yeo. Abriana felt she was starting to lose her BFF Naomi Goh, who was starting to hang out more with the popular girls than her.
Abriana wasn’t very happy about being forced to ‘babysit’ the new kid Octavia Wu. But as she starts to spend time with her, Abri starts to realize there’s something off about this girl. Abri spies on the girl, and is shocked by what she witnessed. Octavia has superpowers!
At her home, Octavia confesses to Abri that she is not from Earth, but from a planet called Viridis which was plunged into war. In order to get her father back home to help with the war, Octavia had volunteered to help find a vital piece of their ship, called anteris. Which they had lost as they crashed. In order to do this, Octavia wanted to enlist Abri’s help as she was a local and therefore must know her way around.
But as their quest for the anteris begins, they find themselves being hindered by the school’s popular girls, who may just ruin Octavia’s chance at helping her family get back home. Will the girls find the anteris? Or is Octavia and her family destined to remain stranded forever?
Abriana wasn’t very happy about being forced to ‘babysit’ the new kid Octavia Wu. But as she starts to spend time with her, Abri starts to realize there’s something off about this girl. Abri spies on the girl, and is shocked by what she witnessed. Octavia has superpowers!
At her home, Octavia confesses to Abri that she is not from Earth, but from a planet called Viridis which was plunged into war. In order to get her father back home to help with the war, Octavia had volunteered to help find a vital piece of their ship, called anteris. Which they had lost as they crashed. In order to do this, Octavia wanted to enlist Abri’s help as she was a local and therefore must know her way around.
But as their quest for the anteris begins, they find themselves being hindered by the school’s popular girls, who may just ruin Octavia’s chance at helping her family get back home. Will the girls find the anteris? Or is Octavia and her family destined to remain stranded forever?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2023
Nice story about life as a secondary school student in Singapore! Liked how the author managed to describe the race to be so exciting!
September 14, 2025
My BFF is an alien is a book about Abriana learning to let go of her childhood friend and being friends with Octavia who is an alien. The girls friendship grew stronger with the revelation of Octavia’s true self and the adventures that they embarked on to help Octavia and her family return back home.
This book is easy to read for primary school students. It is a good attempt by the writer to use a school context to engage her readers. There were parts of the story that were unrealistic. For instance, Octavia was resting in the tent during dinner and Abriana brought food for her were examples that won’t happen in Singapore. However, if the story is about an alien, I guess anything can happen and what is “unrealistic” does not matter. 😅.
This book is easy to read for primary school students. It is a good attempt by the writer to use a school context to engage her readers. There were parts of the story that were unrealistic. For instance, Octavia was resting in the tent during dinner and Abriana brought food for her were examples that won’t happen in Singapore. However, if the story is about an alien, I guess anything can happen and what is “unrealistic” does not matter. 😅.
November 16, 2025
Wow I actually got teary towards the end! It’s nice to see that Singapore has great writers and that Singapore landmarks and school culture were featured in this book. Not forgetting the several mentions of Taylor Swift. Brought back school memories too.
March 23, 2025
Super nice
July 19, 2025
i cant find invasion on libby😭
October 30, 2025
Wait why did I cry at the end
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews