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Just William #11
William the Bad
Robert has very strong reasons for wanting William to be kept away from a particular fancy dress party. This is the eleventh book about the irrepressible Just William.
259 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1930
7 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
About the author
Richmal Crompton
472 books172 followersRichmal Crompton Lamburn was initially trained as a schoolmistress but later became a popular English writer, best known for her Just William series of books, humorous short stories, and to a lesser extent adult fiction books.
Crompton's fiction centres around family and social life, dwelling on the constraints that they place on individuals while also nurturing them. This is best seen in her depiction of children as puzzled onlookers of society's ways. Nevertheless, the children, particularly William and his Outlaws, almost always emerge triumphant.
Crompton's fiction centres around family and social life, dwelling on the constraints that they place on individuals while also nurturing them. This is best seen in her depiction of children as puzzled onlookers of society's ways. Nevertheless, the children, particularly William and his Outlaws, almost always emerge triumphant.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 29, 2025
ENGLISH: Eleventh collection of William's adventures, which I have read for the first time. Some of them are funnier than others.
Most of them are very funny, especially "William gets his own back,"
ESPAÑOL: Undécima colección de aventuras de William, que he leído por primera vez. Algunas son más divertidas que otras.
Casi todas son muy graciosas, especialmente "Guillermo se venga",
Most of them are very funny, especially "William gets his own back,"
ESPAÑOL: Undécima colección de aventuras de William, que he leído por primera vez. Algunas son más divertidas que otras.
Casi todas son muy graciosas, especialmente "Guillermo se venga",
February 13, 2025
Will make you long for the simpler days of childhood :)...
December 21, 2013
It isn't brilliantly written but I think it is written brilliantly. It doesn't hold back on extending a young reader's vocabulary; it's ridiculously privileged in regard to the family life of the characters; it's chock full of repetition, deviation and repetition; and I loved every minute of it. It foreshadows Eddie Braben, The Goons and Monty Python. It includes Milligan's best goon joke twenty years before Spike used it. There are all sorts of other modern classics that owe more than a little to Richmal Crompton. It's my first time…my friend Shaun tried to get me to read Just William when we were in primary school together. Among other things I can see why it was a great favourite of the young John Lennon.
April 3, 2024
In "William the Bad," part of the illustrious Just William series by Richmal Crompton, we delve once again into the hilariously chaotic life of William Brown, a character who embodies the spirit of mischief like no other. This particular installment sees our intrepid hero navigating through a series of uproarious adventures, William proves he’s often a force of nature capable of stirring up a whirlwind of laughter and disorder all on his own.
Crompton's writing shines as she masterfully captures the essence of childhood with its boundless energy and capacity for innocent (if not always well-advised) schemes. Through William's eyes, we see a world where every day holds the potential for new escapades, each more entertaining and outlandish than the last. His antics, while often exasperating for the adults in his life, are rendered with such warmth and humour that we can't help but root for him, even as we foresee the impending calamities his plans will inevitably bring.
The charm of the book lies not just in its humour but in its keen observations of human nature. Crompton uses William's misadventures as a lens through which to examine the adult world, revealing its absurdities and contradictions in a way that is both insightful and delightfully irreverent. William, with his unapologetic zest for life and justice, often ends up inadvertently highlighting the pettiness and hypocrisy of the grown-up society around him.
The supporting characters, from the long-suffering Brown family to the various inhabitants of the village, are all beautifully realised, each adding depth and colour to the world Crompton creates. Their interactions with William, full of misunderstandings and comedic clashes, provide a rich vein of humour that Crompton mines expertly.
What makes "William the Bad" particularly special is its ability to transport us back to our own childhoods. Through William's adventures, we're reminded of the joys of playing pretend, the thrill of planning an elaborate scheme, and the pure, unadulterated fun of causing a bit of harmless trouble. Crompton's narrative invites us to laugh at William's antics, sympathise with his predicaments, and perhaps, in some cases, see a bit of ourselves in the irrepressible young protagonist.
"William the Bad" is a comedic gem that stands out even in the rich tapestry of the Just William series. It's a book that offers not just laughs, but a heartwarming glimpse into the trials and tribulations of childhood, making it a delightful read for both young readers discovering William for the first time and adults looking to revisit the carefree days of their youth. Richmal Crompton's work remains as relevant and entertaining today as it was upon its first publication, proving that the appeal of a well-told tale of mischief and adventure is truly timeless.
Crompton's writing shines as she masterfully captures the essence of childhood with its boundless energy and capacity for innocent (if not always well-advised) schemes. Through William's eyes, we see a world where every day holds the potential for new escapades, each more entertaining and outlandish than the last. His antics, while often exasperating for the adults in his life, are rendered with such warmth and humour that we can't help but root for him, even as we foresee the impending calamities his plans will inevitably bring.
The charm of the book lies not just in its humour but in its keen observations of human nature. Crompton uses William's misadventures as a lens through which to examine the adult world, revealing its absurdities and contradictions in a way that is both insightful and delightfully irreverent. William, with his unapologetic zest for life and justice, often ends up inadvertently highlighting the pettiness and hypocrisy of the grown-up society around him.
The supporting characters, from the long-suffering Brown family to the various inhabitants of the village, are all beautifully realised, each adding depth and colour to the world Crompton creates. Their interactions with William, full of misunderstandings and comedic clashes, provide a rich vein of humour that Crompton mines expertly.
What makes "William the Bad" particularly special is its ability to transport us back to our own childhoods. Through William's adventures, we're reminded of the joys of playing pretend, the thrill of planning an elaborate scheme, and the pure, unadulterated fun of causing a bit of harmless trouble. Crompton's narrative invites us to laugh at William's antics, sympathise with his predicaments, and perhaps, in some cases, see a bit of ourselves in the irrepressible young protagonist.
"William the Bad" is a comedic gem that stands out even in the rich tapestry of the Just William series. It's a book that offers not just laughs, but a heartwarming glimpse into the trials and tribulations of childhood, making it a delightful read for both young readers discovering William for the first time and adults looking to revisit the carefree days of their youth. Richmal Crompton's work remains as relevant and entertaining today as it was upon its first publication, proving that the appeal of a well-told tale of mischief and adventure is truly timeless.
August 20, 2025
Crompton is one of the few author's who can write a funny and entertaining children's book that is possibly even funnier when you read it as an adult. I remember reading and enjoying most of the series as a child, but I missed out on so much of the humour because I was too young to spot it.
This volume is definitely up to standard, right from the start, when William and the Outlaws decide to become Knights of the Square Table (because their only table is a packing case and "It seems sort of silly to call it round when it isn't") and right wrongs (but only "really wrongs" not "things grown-ups go on about at breakfast.") William's career is certainly a varied one - after getting tired of knighthood, he tries out being a Prime Minister and a lecturer before deciding to adopt an orphan and help older brother Robert in his attempts to woo a local damsel. William being William, each episode rapidly descends into joyous chaos. Highly recommended to anyone who needs cheering up - unless you are a teacher or parent of a child like William, in which case, it's probably too close to home to be funny.
This volume is definitely up to standard, right from the start, when William and the Outlaws decide to become Knights of the Square Table (because their only table is a packing case and "It seems sort of silly to call it round when it isn't") and right wrongs (but only "really wrongs" not "things grown-ups go on about at breakfast.") William's career is certainly a varied one - after getting tired of knighthood, he tries out being a Prime Minister and a lecturer before deciding to adopt an orphan and help older brother Robert in his attempts to woo a local damsel. William being William, each episode rapidly descends into joyous chaos. Highly recommended to anyone who needs cheering up - unless you are a teacher or parent of a child like William, in which case, it's probably too close to home to be funny.
July 2, 2024
A great classic of children's literature, William Brown embodies boyish mischief. He is impervious to adult logic and lives only to have fun and let his imagination roam free. He won't be bullied or shamed into behaving as proper boys should. But, even though his long-suffering relatives are often unable to appreciate it, he has his own sense of honor.
The confusion and chaos caused by William and his friends, sometimes unwittingly and sometimes on purpose, are always funny. The Just William stories are basically following a set of similar formulas, but they are very effective: all the follies and ridiculousness of the adult world are exposed when they are near the destructive force of nature that is William & co. The stories work for both child and adult readers. Really funny to lose myself in William's world and William's logic.
This stories in this particular book are not perhaps the most inspired in the series, but they are still very enjoyable.
The confusion and chaos caused by William and his friends, sometimes unwittingly and sometimes on purpose, are always funny. The Just William stories are basically following a set of similar formulas, but they are very effective: all the follies and ridiculousness of the adult world are exposed when they are near the destructive force of nature that is William & co. The stories work for both child and adult readers. Really funny to lose myself in William's world and William's logic.
This stories in this particular book are not perhaps the most inspired in the series, but they are still very enjoyable.
May 22, 2020
"William and the orphan" will have you in fits.
August 12, 2022
1001 böcker
Sid 42, mening 1:
”Jag tycker i alla fall att det skulle vara kul att hälla litet kokande olja på honom, sa Violet längtansfullt.”
Sid 42, mening 1:
”Jag tycker i alla fall att det skulle vara kul att hälla litet kokande olja på honom, sa Violet längtansfullt.”
October 11, 2022
All these William collections are terrific and this is one of the best.
March 17, 2019
I just love these William stories! My review ...
June 27, 2021
Another entertaining collection of William stories. As always these stories made me laugh out loud and long for the simpler days of childhood.
My favourite stories in this collection were
The Knights of the Square Table
William, Prime Minister
William Gets His Own Back
William and the Prize Cat
The Outlaws and the Cucumber
The Pennymans Hand on The Torch
My favourite stories in this collection were
The Knights of the Square Table
William, Prime Minister
William Gets His Own Back
William and the Prize Cat
The Outlaws and the Cucumber
The Pennymans Hand on The Torch
July 22, 2011
I always loved William, even when I had an irritating small brother of my own, but I think I appreciate him more as the years pass. He's never really bad.
August 24, 2013
Funny but serious and very entertaining
October 8, 2016
More deftly comic tales of the irrepressible William. Crompton's prose and insight into the mindset of the young boy never dates although the occasional detail has.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews