I'm a paid up member of the
Just William Society (probably the only one on the
TLO). In my opinion, the best and funniest
William book is
William in Trouble (1927). The highlights include:
- William and the Early Romans
- William and the Fairy Daffodil
- All the News
- The Magic Monkey
- William Joins the Waits
In
All the News, William and his friends decide to produce a newspaper. Violet Elizabeth Bott insists on contributing a crossword puzzle (or, as she calls it, a
croth word puthle). The cross word comprises two three letter words crossing in the middle. the clues are:
1 down -- Wot you hav dropps of
1 acros -- Opposit of cat
William looked at this sternly for a long time.
"Well what is it?" he asked at last.
"Can't you gueth it William?" said Violet Elizabeth with triumph in her voice, "ith cough an' dog. C-O-F -- Cough."
"You don't have drops of cough," said William scornfully.
"Yeth, you do William," said Violet Elizabeth. "You have cough dropth. I've had them. I've had cough dropth, I have."
"You don't spellem like that, anyway," said William.
"Well, how do you thpellem?" said Violet Elizabeth.
William, who was rather hazy on the point, quickly changed the subject.
"Well, what's the opposite of cat?"
"Dog, William."
"Dog isn't the opposite of cat."
"Yeth it ith, William," said Violet Elizabeth sweetly, "'cauth I know it ith."
"It's a rotten puzzle," said William with contempt.
"Ith not, William," said Violet Elizabeth unperturbed. "ithe a nithe one. You ought to give a prithe of a hundred poundth for guething it like they do in newthpaperth."
But any
William book first published after 1945 is of interest only to
William completists or children.