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Young Nick decides to take a break from weeding his aunt’s garden and go for a stroll, accompanied by his aunt’s dog, Benna. The day seems peaceful enough until he suddenly hears an odd voice shouting for everyone to run, duck, and hide because the Martians are coming. Terrified, he takes cover behind a tree as a flying saucer comes down and creates a walkway. Peculiar figurines dressed in suits step down onto the grass, and Nick can do little more than watch them while frozen to the spot. They are almost upon him when Benna starts to bark, frightening the unknown visitors so much that they flee to their ship and leave the scene. Only then does Nick realize how much his fear kept him from learning more about these mysterious happenings, and he is left with more questions than answers.
This children’s story is very simple and straightforward. A young boy goes for a walk, mysterious individuals come down from the skies, and he is too afraid to act. As such, what takes place focuses more on his observations of the whole phenomenon rather than him figuring out the intent of the visitors. In any event, Benna comes across as the hero, protecting the frightened nephew of her owner by chasing off what might or might not be hostile forces to Earth. The fact that it is left unknown why the visitors were there is admittedly frustrating, although it can be used as a good way to teach children there are many mysteries in the world. There isn’t always a simple or satisfying answer to what they might come across in their lives. Alternatively, there is also a potential lesson about never being afraid to ask questions and learn more about things they might not understand. Overall, the author has crafted a unique tale of alien visitation.