William's wiry hair stood up in its usual thick jungle, in the midst of which, at a crooked angle, nestled his cap. The Outlaws had spent part of the morning damming a stream with mud (which they also used as ammunition against each other during any divergence of opinion), and William's face and collar bore plentiful traces of that material. He had rubbed an eye with a mud-covered hand, and that eye was muddier than all the rest, which is saying a good deal. His collar and tie were at their usual angle after a morning of William's usual activities.
William hoisted himself over the fence and said, "Hello, I live here. Next door."
- from William - The Conqueror
News:
William beats out Harry Potter to make the Children's Laureates Best Childrens' Books List William - The Lionheart, the second volume of William radio plays by Richmal Crompton is published
William beats out Harry Potter to make the Children's Laureates Best Childrens' Books List William - The Lionheart, the second volume of William radio plays by Richmal Crompton is published
William Brown was created by the British author Richmal Crompton in 1919. Since then, he has survived a world war, the cold war and myriad cultural changes to remain the most popular boy in fiction. The William books span almost half a century, and depict the life of a schoolboy in the English countryside.
Though the books in the Just William series are publicized as children's books, they are an entertaining read for all ages. In fact, I would say that this is a series of children's books for adults. Some of the language and references used in the stories will be understood by only a few precocious eleven-year-olds.
If you have never read a William story, and have stumbled upon this site by accident, its your lucky day. The William books may not be easily available in your corner of the world, but you can start off by reading "More William" for free at the Project Gutenberg website. And once you have had a taste of William, I am sure you will want to keep on reading!
For those of you already acquainted with William Brown, this site will attempt to satisfy your curiosity about the books with a complete story index and short summaries for each story as well. Please explore the different sections of this site to satiate your thirst for all things William.
Finally, this site will permanently be a work in progress, so check back often to see updates. Currently, I have finished seven books, but with thirty-one more to go, any help is always appreciated. Please see the contributions page for details.
