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When seven-year-old Dollie goes for an adventure in the woods, she sees a mysterious spaceship with colorful lights. After it crashes to the ground, Dollie rushes back to tell her mother Lena who calls Sheriff Hayes to report the sighting, but no one finds anything. Determined to find out more, Dollie returns to the same location and discovers a small black bunny rabbit whom she adopts and calls “Willie.” Willie, however, is a highly intelligent alien rabbit from Planet-R with amazing abilities. Grateful for all the kindness he receives from Dollie, Lena, and their friends, Willie not only cures Dolly when she is ill with high fever but also returns to Earth later to save Dollie’s small town from a disastrous storm.
Turner delivers a delightful story about an unusual friendship between an alien and humans. Much like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Willie is lovable and has strange and interesting powers: his hands can become laser beams; he can make himself big or small; he can disappear or change colors; he can take his ears and padding off, and he can adapt to any dialect. While Dollie, Lena, and their friends marvel at Willie’s capabilities, Willie, too, is equally curious and explains that his mission is to learn about humans. This plays upon the much-explored ideas in sci-fi/fantasy films and books that not only is there the possibility of unknown evolved life-forms in the universe but that they might be as interested in us as we are in them. While the innocent tone and the feel-good ending make the story charming, it’s Dollie’s unconditional bond with Willie which will greatly appeal to the imagination of children—for who doesn’t want a magical friend who can do anything. Adorable and fun, this book is a mix of love, adventure, and hope.