Just William: Volume 1

Families may exist who do not find William funny, but I have yet to meet one. These editions are slightly abridged, I believe by Martin Jarvis who reads them. I normally avoid abridged versions of classics, but I have to admit I actually think these versions are funnier than the original. Maybe it just works better read aloud. We have been listening to William on car journeys ever since our children were very little - last week we were doing so again but now my youngest is 17! We have had to replace a coupe of the CDs as they had started to wear out!

Never get fed up with listening to these short stories.

I had expected this to be the first in the Just William series of stories, but it's a collection of later stories so there's no introduction to the wonderful characters, without which my son was a little confused! Still, it's brilliantly read and very funny and entertains us all on endless car journeys. I'm still trying to find the first stories though!

All children and adults should listen to Just William. Shame about the misogyny inherent in the books but my ten year old daughter and I discussed this and she realises the stories were written in a different time. That aside, it is glorious to immerse oneself in in 20/30's middle class England (the first few books anyhow) with this mischievous scamp and his chums!

My 12 year old (67) says its brilliant but he never read the books as a child, so everything is a wonder to him! I devoured the books as a youngster and couldn't get enough of them. If there was a waiting list in our local library there was nearly a siege!!!!

still a wonderful read

My nephews loved this, car journeys are full of Just William

Love these stories read by Martin Jarvis.