Just William

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William makes friends with his teacher's "new beau", much to her annoyance (from the story The Fall of the Idol)

Just William is the first book of children's short stories about the young school boy William Brown, written by Richmal Crompton, and published in 1922. The book was the first in the series of William Brown books which was the basis for numerous television series, films and radio adaptations. Just William is also sometimes used as a title for the series of books as a whole, and is also the name of various television, film and radio adaptations of the books. The William stories first appeared in Home magazine and Happy Mag.

[edit] Short stories in the book

The book contains the following short stories:

William Goes to the Pictures
William the Intruder
William Below Stairs
The Fall of the Idol
The Show
A Question of Grammar
William Joins the Band of Hope
The Outlaws
William and White Satin
William's New Year's Day
The Best Laid Plans
"Jumble"
William the Gangster

[edit] Characters

Image:Just William.jpg

William Brown in William below stairs

William Brown is an eleven-year-old boy, eternally scruffy and frowning. William and his friends, Douglas, Henry and Ginger, call themselves the Outlaws, and meet at the old barn in Farmer Jenks' field. The Outlaws are sworn enemies of the Hubert Laneites with whom they frequently clash.

William's family, his elder red-haired sister Ethel and brother Robert, caring mother and stern father, and never-ending supply of elderly aunts cannot understand William. Only his mother has any sympathy for him.

Other recurring characters include Violet Elizabeth Bott, lisping spoiled daughter of the local nouveau riche millionaire ("I'll thcream and thcream 'till I'm thick — I can, you know") and Joan, the dark haired girl for whom William has a soft spot (sometimes she is described as a member of the Outlaws — the only girl entitled to this high privilege).

William is adventurous, imaginative and a romantic. He writes stories (The Tale of The Bloody Hand), although most of these are written in terrible grammar, much to comic effect. He likes to perform drama, and is fond of white rats, Bull's Eyes, football and cricket.

Willaim has couple arch enemies - Hubert Lane being the most sought after.Others include his lieutenant Bertie Franks and supporters.

[edit] External links

v • d • e Richmal Crompton and the Just William series
Related Names	Richmal Crompton • Martin Jarvis
William Brown series	Just William (1921) • More William (1922) • William Again (1923) • William the Fourth (1924) • Still William (1925) • William the Conquerer (1926) • William the Outlaw (1927) • William In Trouble (1927) • William the Good (1928) • William (1929) • William the Bad (1930) • William's Happy Days (1930) • William's Crowded Hours (1931) • William the Pirate (1932) • William the Rebel (1933) • William the Gangster (1934) • William The Detective (1935) • Sweet William (1936) • William the Showman (1937) • William the Dictator (1938) • William and Air Raid Precautions (1939) • William and the Evacuees (1940) • William Does His Bit (1941) • William Carries On (1942) • William and The Brains Trust (1945) • Just William's Luck (1948) • William The Bold (1950) • William and the Tramp (1952) • William and the Moon Rocket (1954) • William and the Space Animal (1956) • William's Television Show (1958) • William the Explorer (1960) • William's Treasure Trove (1962) • William and the Witch (1964) • William and the Pop Singers (1965) • William the Ancient Briton (1965) • William and the Masked Ranger (1966) • William the Superman (1968) • William the Lawless (1970)
Films	Just William (film) (1940) • Just William's Luck (film) (1948) • William at the Circus (1948) •
Television Series	William (TV series) (1962-63) • Just William (1970s TV series) (1976-78) • Just William (1990s TV series) (1994-95)
Radio	Just William (1940s Radio series) (1946-48) • William and the Artist's Model (1956) • Just William (BBC Radio series)