William the Dictator facts for kids

William — The Dictator is a fun book of short stories for kids, written by Richmal Crompton. It's the 20th book in the very popular Just William series. This book was first published in 1938. Older versions of the book are now quite rare and are sought after by collectors.

About William Brown

William Brown is the main character in this series. He is a mischievous schoolboy who is always getting into trouble. William often leads his group of friends, known as "The Outlaws." They love to have adventures and usually cause a bit of chaos wherever they go.

What are short stories?

A short story is a piece of fiction that is usually much shorter than a novel. It focuses on a single event or a small number of characters. "William the Dictator" is a collection of ten different short stories. Each story tells about one of William's many adventures.

Stories from the Book

He Who Fights

In this story, William's friends are away on holiday. Feeling bored, William tries to make a new friend, a girl named Lucinda. Lucinda is only friendly with William because she wants to make another boy, Ralph Montague, jealous. She wants William to fight Ralph.

However, William and Ralph become friends on their own. They discover they like the same things. When Lucinda sees them together, she tries to make them fight. They do, and William gets the worst of it. Lucinda runs off, disappointed. The boys continue their friendship, causing trouble until they get into a bigger fight with other kids. They return home bruised, pretending they fought each other. William tries to get back on Lucinda's good side, but she's upset because Ralph looks worse than William.

A Question Of Exchange

The Outlaws decide to try something new: putting on a play like a television show. William plays the hero, Ginger is the villain, and Douglas is the hero's old father. Henry plays a policeman. Violet Elizabeth, a girl who often joins The Outlaws, wants to be part of the show too.

Violet Elizabeth decides she needs a fancy fur for her role. She takes her Auntie Maggie's mink fur without asking. She then swaps it with Arabella Simpkin for a fur boa that Arabella took from her own mother. When the girls go home, they haven't swapped the furs back. This causes confusion and trouble for their families.

William and the Dentist

This story follows William as he faces a common childhood fear: a visit to the dentist. William, being William, tries to avoid the appointment. He comes up with various schemes to escape. His attempts to get out of the visit lead to funny and unexpected situations.

William and the Holewood Bequest

In this adventure, William has to go and stay with his Aunt Louie's aunt. This new environment often means new rules and expectations for William. As usual, William finds a way to turn a seemingly ordinary visit into an exciting escapade. His presence always brings a touch of chaos and fun.

William and the Old Man In the Fog

This story puts William in a mysterious situation. He encounters an old man in a thick fog. William's curiosity and helpful nature lead him into an unexpected adventure. The fog adds to the mystery, making the encounter even more exciting for William.