William and the Moon Rocket ¦ William and the Space Animal

What about William? He shows his age and the attempts to create another merchandising triumph to - rival Dennis the Menance probably won't succeed. I loved my copies of the stories as a child, I greatly enjoy Martin Jarvis telling them now, but reading them again I'm aware of a thinness at the edges.

These two aren't necessarily the best of the stories, although typical, yet much about them is timeless and they're there to be enjoyed and recognised by children who still function in gangs, trade in sweets and plot their adventures during long, idle days.