Roald Dahl, the master storyteller whose stories are still very much enjoyed worldwide today, has written some fun and entertaining books for children, including The Twits. The Twits is a peculiar tale that has captured the imaginations of children and adults alike since its publication in 1980. This story of the grotesque Mr. and Mrs. Twit, who delight in playing cruel pranks on each other, serves as a testament to Dahl’s unique ability to blend dark humour with a moral lesson. The Twits are not just characters; they are caricatures of nastiness, a duo so vile and repulsive that readers can’t help but be engrossed by their wicked antics. While Dahl never followed up with the story of The Twits, Greg James and Chris Smith have written a new book inspired by Dahl’s nasty characters, The Twits Next Door.
The Twits, as we all know, are nasty, unlikeable people and they live in a house with no windows. Mr. Twit’s beard is a smorgasbord of leftovers, and Mrs. Twit’s glass eye has a stare that could curdle milk. They hate people, torture the poor Muggle-Wump monkeys and love capturing birds in the garden for their bird pie.
Now, imagine if the Twits had neighbours. A family from hell, for The Twits anyway as The Lovelies really are just happy, fun and well, lovely. In the Twits Next Door we are introduced to the Lovelies; Mr & Mrs Lovely and their 10 year old twins Ruff & Rumble, who, as their name suggests, are the antithesis of the Twits. The Lovelies are a happy, cheerful family who love colour, fun and happiness. They move in next door to the Twits and with their brightly coloured house and garden as well as their cheerful ways they soon become the new targets of the Twits’ malevolence. But, oh, how the tables turn when the Lovelies start to fight back with their weapon of choice: utter loveliness.
Overall, I loved Dahl’s original The Twits and I have really enjoyed The Twits Next Door by Greg James and Chris Smith. To be totally honest, while the authors have done and excellent job of resurrecting Dahl’s nasty characters, I didn’t feel that it had the same level of dark humour as Dahl but it is a captivating fun read nonetheless with a series of escalating pranks, a dash of poetic justice, and a healthy dose of wit and humour in a prank war of epic proportions with a superb twist.
The Twits really are a nasty couple that could win a gold medal in the Nasty Olympics if there ever was one. They are still getting up to their usual pranks and name calling with each other but now have new neighbours to terrorise. But The Lovelies have their own arsenal; forget stink bombs, the Lovelies have twinkle bombs and disco pants!
The book is a delightful romp that pays homage to Dahl’s original while standing firmly on its own two prank-pulling feet. The narrative is a testament to the power of kindness over cruelty, even when faced with the most Twit-ish of adversaries. The illustrations by Emily Jones bring the story to life with a vibrancy that jumps off the page, much like the Twits’ pranks leap out of their twisted minds.
The Twits Next Door is not just a sequel; it’s a reminder that no matter how revolting the villain, there’s always room for a lovely twist. So, if you’re in for a dose of nostalgia laced with fresh hilarity, plenty of dancing and even a tiger, then this book is your ticket to a joyride through the Dahl universe with a contemporary spin. Just be warned, you might find yourself checking your spaghetti for worms or your bed for frogs after reading this one.
Happy reading, and may your neighbours be Lovelies, not Twits!
And remember, don’t be a Twit, be lovely and kind – to yourself, your friends, family and everybody else.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £12.99 (Hardback) / £7.99 (Paperback) / £0.99 (Kindle)
Available to buy from Amazon here.