Modern editions contain ten stories; it originally contained eleven: In a (for the series) rare example of moral panic, the eleventh, entitled "William and the Nasties" has been removed from reprints of the book since 1986 because, though ultimately anti-Nazi, it was considered inappropriate after the atrocities of the Holocaust, especially for a book aimed at children.

William and the League of Perfect Love has also been removed from some editions under pressure from the animal-rights activists it satirises.

Removed story: William and the Nasties (originally in sixth position) – William and his friends attempt (unsuccessfully) to imitate Nazi stormtroopers by driving a Jewish shopkeeper from his business.

("Nasties" is William's mispronunciation of "Nazis".)

This article about a collection of short stories for children published in the 1930s is a stub.