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TL;DR: Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the most disgusting, nasty couple you could imagine. They play horrible tricks on each other, such as putting a glass eye in a beer mug and worms in spaghetti. They also keep a family of monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps, whom they force to stand on their heads. With help from a clever bird, the monkeys plan a perfect revenge.
Table of Contents
The Twits at a Glance
| Author | Roald Dahl |
| First published | 1980 |
| Type | Children's novel |
| Best for | young readers who want a short, gross and very funny revenge story |
The Twits is a children's novel by Roald Dahl, published in 1980 with illustrations by Quentin Blake. It is one of Dahl's shortest and silliest books. Below you will find a part-by-part summary, five key takeaways, ideas worth remembering and a note on who will enjoy it.
Content note: Includes cruelty to animals and gross-out humor.
Main Characters
- Mr. Twit: A dirty, hairy, nasty man.
- Mrs. Twit: Mr. Twit's ugly, mean wife.
- The Muggle-Wumps: A family of monkeys kept by the Twits.
- The Roly-Poly Bird: A clever bird who helps the monkeys.
- The birds: Local birds caught by the Twits.
What Happens, Part by Part (Contains Spoilers)
The Twits
Mr. Twit has a huge beard full of old food, and he never washes it. Mrs. Twit was once pretty, but her ugly thoughts have made her face ugly. Dahl explains that if you have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face, but if you have ugly thoughts, they show too. The Twits hate everyone, including each other.
Nasty tricks
Mrs. Twit puts her glass eye in Mr. Twit's beer mug to frighten him. In revenge, he puts a frog in her bed. She puts worms in his spaghetti. He tricks her into thinking she has “the Shrinks,” a disease that makes you smaller, by adding tiny pieces to her walking stick. She floats away on balloons, and he leaves her floating.
Bird Pie
Every week, Mr. Twit spreads sticky glue called HUGTIGHT on a big dead tree in the garden. Birds land on it and get stuck, and the Twits make Bird Pie. The Twits also keep the Muggle-Wump monkeys in a cage and force them to train upside down for a circus act.
The plan
The Roly-Poly Bird, who visits from Africa, speaks the monkeys' language and warns the birds about the glue. Fed up with the Twits, the Muggle-Wumps and the birds plan revenge. While the Twits are out buying guns to shoot the birds, the animals glue all the furniture in the Twits' house to the ceiling, so the room is upside down.
The Shrinks
When the Twits come home, they think they are upside down. They stand on their heads, which are covered with glue by the birds, and get stuck to the floor. They are stuck there until they shrink away, getting “the Dreaded Shrinks” for real. The monkeys escape to Africa with the Roly-Poly Bird, and the neighbors celebrate.
5 Key Takeaways
- Cruelty eventually backfires.
- Ugly thoughts can make people ugly.
- Clever teamwork beats bullies.
- Animals deserve kindness.
- Revenge can be funny in fiction.
Ideas Worth Remembering
These are paraphrased, not direct quotes:
- Good thoughts make a person shine.
- Even the smallest creatures can fight back.
- Silliness can carry a message.
Who Should Read The Twits?
Read The Twits if you are a young reader who loves gross, funny stories with a twist. It suits ages 6 to 10.
About Roald Dahl
Roald Dahl (1916–1990) was a British author whose books include Matilda, The BFG, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Mr Fox. Quentin Blake illustrated many of his books, including The Twits, and his drawings are now closely linked with Dahl's characters. Dahl wrote The Twits partly because he disliked beards.
Questions to Think About After Reading
These prompts work for solo reading, a book club or a classroom discussion of The Twits:
- Why does Dahl say ugly thoughts make you ugly?
- How do the animals work together?
- Did the Twits deserve their ending?
How to Use This Summary
Use this page as a quick reference before a book club meeting, an exam, or a decision about whether The Twits is worth your time. The takeaways are written to stand on their own. If a point interests you, go back to the book for the author's full story, characters and style, which no short summary can replace.
A Note on Accuracy and Spoilers
This summary is based on the published text of The Twits, not on any film, series or stage adaptation, which often change the story. Details are kept at the level of the main events so that nothing is invented. Editions differ slightly in length and wording, so page numbers and small details may vary between copies.
Should You Read the Book?
Yes. It is short, funny and perfect for reading aloud.
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What to Read Next
- George's Marvellous Medicine by Roald Dahl: a boy takes revenge on his nasty grandmother
- Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl: animals outwit nasty farmers
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney: a funny, light read for young readers
Related: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl: Summary and Key Takeaways · Danny, the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl: Summary and Key Takeaways
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Twits about?
A nasty couple play tricks on each other until their animals take revenge.
Who wrote it?
Roald Dahl, in 1980.
Who illustrated it?
Quentin Blake.
Who are the Muggle-Wumps?
A family of monkeys kept by the Twits.
What is HUGTIGHT?
A sticky glue Mr. Twit uses to catch birds.
What are the Shrinks?
A pretend, then real, disease that makes the Twits shrink.
How does it end?
The Twits shrink away, and the monkeys go free.
What age is it for?
About 6 to 10.
How long is it?
About 90 pages.
Is it gross?
Yes, it has lots of gross-out humor.
Is there a film?
Yes. An animated Netflix adaptation was released in 2025.
Is it good for reading aloud?
Yes, very.
Is The Twits a good first Roald Dahl book?
Yes. It is short, simple and funny, so it suits newer readers.
Is The Twits worth reading?
It depends on what you want. The book is best for young readers who want a short, gross and very funny revenge story. If that describes you, it is likely a good fit. If not, the titles under What to Read Next may suit you better.