If your child loved Roald Dahl’s The Twits (or just enjoys stories full of funny, slightly disgusting characters!), then The Twits Next Door by Greg James and Chris Smith is a must-read. We picked this one up during a supermarket browse, and it turned out to be a brilliant choice for our bedtime reading pile.

My 8-year-old was hooked right from the first few pages and gave it a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 — which, in our house, is high praise!

What’s the Story About?

The book follows Mrs Twit as she discovers her long-lost sister has moved in next door — and, of course, chaos quickly follows. There are tricks, twists, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, all written in the spirit of Roald Dahl but with a fresh, modern twist that feels perfect for today’s young readers.

What My 8-Year-Old Thought

“It’s all about Mrs Twit finding out who her long-lost sister was when she moved in next door,” she explained.
She described it as a funny and slightly “informative” story — because, in her words, “you learn that not everybody is kind and lovely underneath.”

Her favourite part? “When the Lovely children moved in and they were exploring their new house.”
Favourite characters? “Both of the children — I liked how they loved exploring.”
Funniest bit? “When the Twits started dancing around!”

I loved how much she enjoyed the humour but also how it got her thinking about people’s behaviour — not bad for a book full of chaos and pranks!

Mum’s Thoughts

I’ll admit, I’ve never been a huge Roald Dahl fan (I know, I know — they’re classics, but they’ve just never been my thing). My daughter, however, loves them — so when she spotted The Twits Next Door, she was very keen to give it a try.

And honestly? I’m so glad we did.

Greg James and Chris Smith have done a fantastic job of keeping the magic of the original while giving it a fun, updated twist. The story is fast-paced, funny, and filled with just the right amount of gross-out chaos to make kids giggle and parents smile. The Twits are still as awful (and brilliant) as ever, and the ending has a great, unexpected twist that made us both laugh.

If your child enjoys funny, character-driven stories full of tricks, pranks, and unexpected friendships, The Twits Next Door is a perfect pick. We’ll definitely be looking out for more books by these authors!

Want to discover more bedtime books your kids will actually love? Visit our Kids’ Book Reviews section for real reviews from real readers (plus some honest mum thoughts too!).