Just William facts for kids
Original cover
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| Author | Richmal Crompton |
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| Illustrator | Thomas Henry |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Publisher | George Newnes |
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Publication date
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1922 |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) & Audio book & film |
| Followed by | More William |
Just William is the first book in a famous series of short stories about a young, adventurous schoolboy named William Brown. Written by Richmal Crompton, this book was first published in 1922. It kicked off the popular William Brown book series, which later inspired many TV shows, movies, and radio plays. Sometimes, "Just William" is also used as the name for the entire collection of books or for the different TV and film versions. The very first William stories appeared in magazines like Home and Happy Mag.
Contents
What Exciting Stories Are in the Book?
The book Just William is filled with twelve fun short stories about William's adventures. Here are some of them:
- William Goes to the Pictures – William gets some money, buys candy, and goes to the movies. On his way home, he tries to act out everything he saw!
- William the Intruder – William accidentally steals the attention of his brother's new girlfriend.
- William Below Stairs – After reading a book about a boy who ran away and found gold, William decides to run away from home. He ends up working as a servant in a fancy house.
- The Fall of the Idol – William really likes his teacher, Miss Drew. But he soon finds out she isn't as perfect as he thought.
- The Show – William and his friends, the Outlaws, put on an animal show in William's room to earn money. They even decide to use his sleeping Aunt Emily as an exhibit!
- A Question of Grammar – William misunderstands a grammar rule, which leads him to throw a wild party while his parents are away.
- William Joins the Band of Hope – William and the Outlaws are made to join a group that encourages people not to drink alcohol. But William manages to turn their first meeting into a big fight.
- The Outlaws – This is the very first William story ever written! William has to look after a baby on his day off, but he decides to "kidnap" the baby and bring him to the Outlaws' secret hideout.
- William and White Satin – William is forced to be a page boy at his cousin's wedding, which makes him feel silly. Luckily, he finds a friend in his cousin, who is also a reluctant bridesmaid.
- William's New Year's Day – A sweet shop owner encourages William to make a New Year's resolution. William decides to be polite for the day and ends up looking after the sweet shop.
- The Best Laid Plans – A young man asks William for help to impress William's sister, Ethel, but things don't go as planned.
- "Jumble" – This story tells how William first met his loyal dog, Jumble.
Who Are the Main Characters?
The stories feature a fun cast of characters, from William and his friends to his family and even some rivals.
Meet William Brown
William Brown is an 11-year-old boy who is always a bit messy and often has a frown on his face. He is the leader of his group of friends, known as the Outlaws.
William's Friends: The Outlaws
William and his best friends, Ginger, Henry, and Douglas, call themselves the Outlaws. They have a secret meeting place at an old barn in Farmer Jenks' field. The Outlaws are always clashing with their rivals, the Hubert Lane-ites.
- Ginger is William's loyal friend. He's almost as messy and daring as William. He's William's best friend and sometimes takes charge when William isn't around.
- Henry is the wise one of the Outlaws. He always seems to know what the group needs to know, even if he has to pretend a little. He's the oldest of the Outlaws in the first book.
- Douglas is perhaps the most cautious of the Outlaws, but he still joins in all their adventures. He's surprisingly good at spelling, even spelling words like "knights" as "gnights" and "knocks" as "gnocks." The Outlaws are proud of this because it shows he understands the tricky parts of the English language.
William's Family
William's family includes his older sister Ethel, his brother Robert, his calm mother, his strict father, and many elderly aunts. They often don't understand William's ways. Only his mother truly sympathizes with him, though his father sometimes seems to remember being a bit like William himself when he was young.
Other Important Characters
Other characters who often appear in the stories include:
- Violet Elizabeth Bott is a lisping, spoiled girl. She is the daughter of a very rich man. William reluctantly spends time with her because she threatens to "thcream and thcream 'till I'm thick" (scream and scream until she's sick) if he doesn't.
- Joan Clive is a dark-haired girl whom William likes. Joan is sometimes considered a member of the Outlaws (the only girl allowed this special honor) or an "Outlaw ally" because she took a special oath. She went to boarding school for a while but still joined William's adventures during her holidays.
William's Hobbies and Personality
William enjoys writing stories, like "The Tale of The Bloody Hand," even if his grammar isn't the best, which often leads to funny moments. He also loves acting and is fond of white rats, bull's eye candies, football, and cricket.
William is a natural leader. He often has to balance his own ideas with what his friends in the Outlaws need. His strong personality means that no one ever questions his leadership, and he usually tries to make fair decisions.
William also has a few main enemies, with Hubert Lane being the one he dislikes the most. Other rivals include Hubert's friend Bertie Franks and their other helpers.
See also
In Spanish: Travesuras de Guillermo para niños
