Just William at Christmas

by Richmal Crompton

A selection of ten William stories.

Genres: Fiction, Christmas, Childrens, Short Stories, Audiobook, Humor, Young Adult

208 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1995

About the author

Richmal 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.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming collection of festive Just William stories, which left me feeling very merry and laughing my Christmas socks off.

My favourite stories included
'A Busy Day'
'William's Truthful Christmas'
'William Starts the Holidays'
'William Joins the Waits'
'William Plays Santa Claus'
'The Christmas Truce'

[Matt Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of laugh out loud moments.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to in audio format.

It's worth noting this an abridged version of Just William at Christmas.

William is naughty yet loveable - he is simply just William.

My favourite stories were William and the Carol singers, a a busy day and The Outlaws fetch the holly.

The standout story was Williams present which showed his kind heart.

This was a fun read for christmas.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having grown up listening to the cassette tapes of Martin Jarvis reading the Just William stories I always find it remarkable when I stumble upon one I have never heard before, and this collection of stories, all set around the festive period, were all new to me and most enjoyable. Martin Jarvis infuses the stories with his usual level of enthusiasm and characterisation. He is and will always be the perfect William.

[Peter Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved these books as a kid and in re-reading I am struck by Crompton's deep affection for children even in their most irritating form. She creates a believable lived-in world from a child's perspective which is an impressive accomplishment, particularly from an author at a time where children were to be seen and not heard. There are a few unfortunately dated references and phrases however.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Alex Sarll]

Ten festive stories picked from the original collections, most if not all of which I'm sure I must have read before - but as with the other great English idyll of the mid-twentieth century, Wodehouse's world, asking whether you've read a particular William book verges on a category error. The familiarity, the unchanging status quo, is part of the charm; even at the most compressed reading of the continuity there would have to be at least eight Christmases here, and yet of course William is aged about eleven for each and every one of them; always the same rambunctious, easily bored soul, bringing as much chaos when he means well as when he plots outrage, and always sincerely outraged when justice finds him. Given the many trials he faces - Sunday school, Hubert Lane, boring presents from relatives - it might seem peculiar to call this a paradise. Yet surely even heaven can't be entirely perfect without getting dull.

[DaN McKee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just William stories set around Christmas - what’s not to like (besides the casual old fashioned racism of some of those 1919 childhood games! But it was a different time then.)

[Phil Whittall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids love William, it's unconditional.

[David Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just William at Christmas by Richmal Crompton (Macmillan Children’s Books 1955) (Fiction - Children’s) (4016).

This is my first sample of the hilarious series of children’s story books (or maybe just “stories about children”) by British author Richmal Crompton. Crompton published 38 books of short stories about an unruly eleven-year-old English schoolboy named William Brown. Published between 1922 and 1970, almost every book in the series is a collection of often laugh-out-loud tales of the misadventures of William and his merry band of mates who were known as “The Outlaws.”

Just William at Christmas is a collection of holiday-centric tales about the Christmas season. Each story was a delight. This jaded old reader often found himself chuckling aloud at our hero’s antics.

This volume will be enjoyed at my house each year when the Yuletide rolls around again.

I presently own a used HB copy that I purchased in good condition from Amazon for $12.20 on 1/4/25 as a gift intended for the “William” in my family.

My rating: 7.25/10, finished 1/26/26 (4016).

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[AndreaLectora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genial, como siempre. Además narrado por Martin Jarvis.
Creo que estos libros son muy poco conocidos en España y es una pena. Son divertidísimos y tremendamente british. Muy recomendables si os gusta el humor inglés.

[Sanoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

An OK collection of stories from the rest of the Just William collection, for the most part. However, overall, it is quite a good collection.

[Michael Wilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reminder of when we were young. Excellent.

[Caroline Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

The usual William fare, somewhat constrained by the Christmas theme, but comfort reading at this time of year, and I did enjoy the final yarn about Ginger's spinster aunt and the stuffed cat!

[Nobi Nobes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny 😂! Great to listen to!

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[JoJo · Rating 5 out of 5]

William stories just make Christmas for me, and I have to say having them read by Martin Jarvis is my guilty pleasure.

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect light reading at Christmas.

(As a child I adored Just William. As an adult I've updated my take on Richmal Crompton's writing entirely but I still love her wit and the weave of her words.)