History YMMV / TheButterBattleBook

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: It's a Creator/DrSeuss book that's as bright and colorful as his usual work... and then it [[DownerEnding ends with the implication]] that a bunch of people are going to be ''wiped off the face of the earth by nuclear bombs''.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: The fact that two sides are going to war with each other, [[NukeEm eventually of the nuclear variety]] can be pretty dark but becomes morbidly hilarious given that they're willing to do it over [[SillyReasonForWar the correct way to butter toast.]] Of course, the fact that it's so silly is [[IntendedAudienceReaction the point]] and only helps in strengthening its message

* CrossesTheLineTwice: The fact that two sides are going to war with each other, [[NukeEm eventually of the nuclear variety]] can be pretty dark but becomes morbidly hilarious given that they're willing to do it over [[SillyReasonForWar the correct way to butter toast.]]

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Was Vanitch really the bad guy? Could some of his characterization be a bit of UnreliableNarrator from the Yook patrolman? Remember that Grandpa was harassing Zooks near the wall with the switch before Zook patrolman Vanitch slingshotted it. Neither side showed any intention of climbing the wall to the other side due to their mutual hatred of each other. Likely the balance of power was more equal before grandpa's weapon. And right before Vanitch showed up with his giant gun (pointed downward, indicating a defensive weapon and less range), Grandpa was intending to fire what was essentially the equivalent of a cannon on innocent Zooks. Also, it's likely that Vanitch was just as uncomfortable with the big boy boomeroo as Grandpa, except Vanitch's own grandson (who he may or may not have) wasn't there near the wall, but safe in the bunker below, so he had less reason to be hesitant.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: The fact that two sides are going to war with each other, [[NukeEm eventually of the nuclear variety]] can be pretty dark, but becomes morbidly hilarious given that they're willing to do it over [[SillyReasonForWar the correct way to butter toast.]]

* NightmareFuel: The entire concept of the "Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo": a bean that can fit in the palm of one's hand capable of causing an EarthShatteringKaboom, both sides have one, and it all comes down to who drops theirs first. The animated version shows its creation as a creepy musical number, complete with blacklight-esque colors, red goo that comes to life and moves some controls around, and even features split-second glimpses of ghosts and snakes, all while the Chief Yookeroo sings in an eerie Music/TomWaits-esque voice. And when it comes time to actually drop it, the story just '''[[NoEnding stops]]'''.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids: It's a Creator/DrSeuss book that's as bright and colorful as his usual work... and then it [[DownerEnding ends with the implication]] that a bunch of people are going to be ''bombed to death''.

* FoeYayShipping: In the TV special, where Vanitch refers to Grandpa as "My dear cheap" and delivers his lines in a hammy, vaguely flirty tone.

* {{FoeYay}}: In the TV special, where Vanitch refers to Grandpa as "My dear cheap" and delivers his lines in a hammy, vaguely flirty tone.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Was Vanitch really the bad guy? Could some of his characterization be a bit of UnreliableNarrator from the Yook patrolman? Remember that Grandpa was harassing Zooks near the wall with the switch before Zook patrolman Vanitch slingshotted it. Neither side showed any intention of climbing the wall to the other side due to their mutual hatred of each other. Likely the balance of power was more equal before grandpa's weapon. And right before Vanitch showed up with his giant gun (pointed downward, indicating defensive weapon and less range), Grandpa was intending to fire what was essentially equivalent of a cannon on innocent Zooks. Also, it's likely that Vanitch was just as uncomfortable with the big boy boomeroo as Grandpa, except Vanitch's own grandson (who he may or may not have) wasn't there near the wall, but safe in the bunker below, so he had less reason to be hesitant.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: Appropriate trope for a message involving bombs, but while the ending is left ambiguous, Seuss makes no hesitation to say that war is idiotic and no good can come from any side having access to weapons of mass destruction.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: The fact that two sides are going to war with each other, [[NukeEm eventually of the nuclear variety]] can be pretty dark, but becomes morbidly hilarious given that they're willing two do it over [[SillyReasonForWar the correct way to butter toast.]]

* FridgeBrilliance: Why does the animated version have a musical number that makes it clear that the Bitsy Big-Boy Moomeroo is not just incredibly dangerous but downright fundamentally ''wrong''? Its real-life counterpart, the atomic bomb, depends on a physical reaction that simply does not naturally occur on a life-bearing planet. From a naturalistic perspective, it too is simply ''wrong''.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: Appropriate trope for a message involving bombs, but while the ending is left ambiguous, Seuss makes no hesitation to say that war is idiotic and no good can come from any side having access to weapons of mass destruction.

* NightmareFuel
** The entire concept of the "Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo": a bean that can fit in the palm of one's hand capable of causing an EarthShatteringKaboom, both sides have one, and it all comes down to who drops theirs first. The animated version shows its creation as a creepy musical number, complete with blacklight-esque colors, red goo that comes to life and moves some controls around, and even features split-second glimpses of ghosts and snakes, all while the Chief Yookeroo sings in an eerie Music/TomWaits-esque voice. And when it comes time to actually drop it, the story just '''stops'''.

** The entire concept of the "Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo": a bean that can fit in the palm of one's hand capable of causing an EarthShatteringKaboom, both sides have one, and it all comes down to who drops theirs first. The animated version shows its creation as a creepy musical number, complete with blacklight-esque colors, red goo that comes to life and moves some controls around, and even features split-second glimpses of ghosts and snakes, all while the Chief Yookeroo sings in an eerie Music/TomWaits-esque voice.
** '''The ending.''' Both sides of an utterly pointless war have a bomb capable of blowing everyone to Kingdom Come and it all comes down to who drops it first.

* CounterpartComparison: In 1987, Creator/EphraimKishon released a book called "Uzu and Muzu from the village of Kakaruzu", which is basically The Butter Battle Book meets ''Theatre/RomeoAndJuliet''.

* CounterpartComparison: In 1987, EphraimKishon released a book called "Uzu and Muzu from the village of Kakaruzu", which is basically The Butter Battle Book meets RomeoAndJuliet.

* CounterpartComparison: In 1987, EphraimKishon released a book called "Uzu and Muzu from the village of Kakaruzu", which is basically The Butter Battle Book meets RomeoAndJulliette.

* CounterpartComparision: In 1987, EphraimKishon released a book called "Uzu and Muzu from the village of Kakaruzu", which is basically The Butter Battle Book meets RomeoAndJuliett.

* CounterpartComparision: In 1987, EphraimKishon released a book called "Uzu and Muzu from the village of Kakaruzu", which is basically The Butter Battle Book meets RomeoAndJuliette.

* NightmareFuel

* NightmareFuel: The entire concept of the "Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo": a bean that can fit in the palm of one's hand capable of causing an EarthShatteringKaboom, both sides have one, and it all comes down to who drops theirs first. The animated version shows its creation as a creepy musical number, complete with blacklight-esque colors, red goo that comes to life and moves some controls around, and even features split-second glimpses of ghosts and snakes, all while the Chief Yookeroo sings in an eerie Music/TomWaits-esque voice.

* NightmareFuel: The entire concept of the "Bitsy Big-Boy Boomeroo": a bean that can fit in the palm of one's hand capable of causing an EarthShatteringKaboom, both sides have one, and it all comes down to who drops theirs first. The animated version shows it's creation as a creepy musical number, complete with blacklight-esque colors, red goo that comes to life and moves some controls around, and even features split-second glimpses of ghosts and snakes, all while the Chief Yookeroo sings in an eerie Music/TomWaits-esque voice.