Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Literature / Weenies

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* OrWasItADream: Inverted in ''Lucidity'' where a kid tries to have a lucid dream and [[spoiler:it seems like he's done it, but it turns out to be a prank and he was not dreaming. But then the story ends with his friend flying away, implying it was a dream after all.]]

to:

* OrWasItADream: Inverted in ''Lucidity'' where a kid tries to have a lucid dream and [[spoiler:it seems like he's done it, but it turns out to be a prank and he was not dreaming. But then the story ends with his friend flying away, implying it was a dream after all.all; just not ''his''.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** ''A Cure for the Uncommon Vampire'' has an InsufferableGenius boy discover a cure for vampirism - albeit an extremely painful one. After successfully curing a vampire with it, [[spoiler: said ex-vampire delivers him to a group of vampires. He's doomed to spend the rest of his days as a renewable source of blood for the vampires, endlessly undergoing the painful transformation into a vampire and the even more painful transformation back as they suck his blood and transform him back into a human for more blood.]]

to:

** ''A Cure for the Uncommon Vampire'' has an InsufferableGenius boy discover a cure for vampirism - albeit an extremely painful one. After successfully curing a vampire with it, [[spoiler: said [[spoiler:said ex-vampire delivers him to a group of vampires. He's doomed to spend the rest of his days as a renewable source of blood for the vampires, endlessly undergoing the painful transformation into a vampire and the even more painful transformation back as they suck his blood and transform him back into a human for more blood.]]



** "The Vampire Rat" has a kid living in an apartment building with a vampire, who in turn feeds on rats in the basement and infects one with bloodlust. The TooDumbToLive kid decides to keep the rat as a pet, and manages to escape when it tries to bite. [[spoiler: But the vampiric fleas living ''on'' the rat are another story...]]
** Another vampiric story talks about a cool kid who always wears a leather jacket and his friend exploring a haunted house. There's a vampire in the basement, but his fangs aren't able to pierce the jacket's collar... [[spoiler: which means that the ''jacket itself'' becomes a sentient bloodsucking monster.]]
** A story about a bored child on a road trip with his parents stopping at an attraction called "Reptile World." They're advertising a new attraction called "Terror of the Amazon," which the protagonist naturally thinks is an anaconda. The insane owner of the attraction tries to capture the boy and feed him to a python, so he leaps into a swimming pool to escape--and that's when he discovers that the "Terror of the Amazon" is actually [[spoiler: piranhas.]]

to:

** "The Vampire Rat" has a kid living in an apartment building with a vampire, who in turn feeds on rats in the basement and infects one with bloodlust. The TooDumbToLive kid decides to keep the rat as a pet, and manages to escape when it tries to bite. [[spoiler: But [[spoiler:But the vampiric fleas living ''on'' the rat are another story...]]
** Another vampiric story talks about a cool kid who always wears a leather jacket and his friend exploring a haunted house. There's a vampire in the basement, but his fangs aren't able to pierce the jacket's collar... [[spoiler: which [[spoiler:which means that the ''jacket itself'' becomes a sentient bloodsucking monster.]]
** A story about a bored child on a road trip with his parents stopping at an attraction called "Reptile World." They're advertising a new attraction called "Terror of the Amazon," which the protagonist naturally thinks is an anaconda. The insane owner of the attraction tries to capture the boy and feed him to a python, so he leaps into a swimming pool to escape--and that's when he discovers that the "Terror of the Amazon" is actually [[spoiler: piranhas.[[spoiler:piranhas.]]



* ChristmasEveryDay: Parodied with ''Christmas Carol'' where [[spoiler: Carol is perfectly fine with it being Christmas every day, and the person who granted her wish is disappointed she didn't learn anything.]]

to:

* ChristmasEveryDay: Parodied with ''Christmas Carol'' where [[spoiler: Carol [[spoiler:Carol is perfectly fine with it being Christmas every day, and the person who granted her wish is disappointed she didn't learn anything.]]



* ClickbaitGag: ''Differnet Explorer'' has someone discovering a different version of the internet not only has parodies of click bait, but the promises the articles make [[ExactWords come true]]. [[spoiler: He finds one saying this video will slay you. You can imagine how that goes.]]
* CruelTwistEnding: Well for ''one'' example, there's "Attack of the Vampire Weenies". A little kid tries to sabotage his sister's vampire party by inviting an actual vampire (or at least one that fits his depictions) though he does make preparations to make sure the vampire is destroyed. Sure enough, a person claiming to be a count asks to be invited in and then destroys every weapon against a vampire in the house. Looks like the kid protagonist was wrong eh? [[spoiler: PSYCH! Turns out the man was acting as the Renfield to the count, destroying all of the weapons so the count and his horde can munch in peace. And that's how it ends.]]

to:

* ClickbaitGag: ''Differnet Explorer'' has someone discovering a different version of the internet not only has parodies of click bait, but the promises the articles make [[ExactWords come true]]. [[spoiler: He [[spoiler:He finds one saying this video will slay you. You can imagine how that goes.]]
* CruelTwistEnding: Well for ''one'' example, there's "Attack of the Vampire Weenies". A little kid tries to sabotage his sister's vampire party by inviting an actual vampire (or at least one that fits his depictions) though he does make preparations to make sure the vampire is destroyed. Sure enough, a person claiming to be a count asks to be invited in and then destroys every weapon against a vampire in the house. Looks like the kid protagonist was wrong eh? [[spoiler: PSYCH! [[spoiler:PSYCH! Turns out the man was acting as the Renfield TheRenfield to the count, destroying all of the weapons so the count and his horde can munch in peace. And that's how it ends.]]



* DeadAllAlong: The twist to a few stories, one such example being [[spoiler: ''The Soda Fountain'']].

to:

* DeadAllAlong: The twist to a few stories, one such example being [[spoiler: ''The [[spoiler:''The Soda Fountain'']].



** Have you been bullying a classmate? [[spoiler: You deserve to be fried to death by an insane mental patient along with your other classmates!]]
** Do you think a little roadside attraction about snakes is lame? [[spoiler: You deserve to be fed to said snakes!]]
** Broke an expensive item you weren't supposed to touch and skedaddled out of there? [[spoiler: You'll be cursed so your touch makes everything and everyone you love disappear the moment they leave your sight.]]
** Did you trespass and swim in a hotel pool after hours? Well, clearly you deserve to [[spoiler: suddenly be transported to the middle of the ocean.]]
** Do you plan to return something just to get paid? [[spoiler: You deserve to be murdered when it turns out it was a trap set by an implied serial killer]].

to:

** Have you been bullying a classmate? [[spoiler: You [[spoiler:You deserve to be fried to death by an insane mental patient along with your other classmates!]]
** Do you think a little roadside attraction about snakes is lame? [[spoiler: You [[spoiler:You deserve to be fed to said snakes!]]
** Broke an expensive item you weren't supposed to touch and skedaddled out of there? [[spoiler: You'll [[spoiler:You'll be cursed so your touch makes everything and everyone you love disappear the moment they leave your sight.]]
** Did you trespass and swim in a hotel pool after hours? Well, clearly you deserve to [[spoiler: suddenly [[spoiler:suddenly be transported to the middle of the ocean.]]
** Do you plan to return something just to get paid? [[spoiler: You [[spoiler:You deserve to be murdered when it turns out it was a trap set by an implied serial killer]].



** In the titular "In the Land of the Lawn Weenies", the protagonist says that his family isn't a "typical" one... [[spoiler: it's his ''mom'' that's brainwashed, not his ''dad'' like most families.]]
** One title is called "Banning Books"... [[spoiler: Yeah, they're exactly what you think they are. Books that literally ban people.]]

to:

** In the titular "In the Land of the Lawn Weenies", the protagonist says that his family isn't a "typical" one... [[spoiler: it's [[spoiler:it's his ''mom'' that's brainwashed, not his ''dad'' like most families.]]
** One title is called "Banning Books"... [[spoiler: Yeah, [[spoiler:Yeah, they're exactly what you think they are. Books that literally ban people.]]



** One story has fliers boasting typical store sale phrasing that effect the actual world. If it says 20% off, everything, such as food, feels 20% off. The story ends with one saying "Fire Sale: Everything must go!" [[spoiler: The sun gets hotter, everything goes.]]
** ''Dizzy Spells'' has wishes come true when you're dizzy. Someone gets so dizzy that they wish the world would stop spinning. [[spoiler: It does, but everything on it keeps moving]].
* FairyInABottle: In the short story by the same name, a boy catches a vicious fairy. He's unwilling to release it out of self-preservation, so it tries to bargain with him. [[spoiler: Said bargain ends up being a trick that allows it to escape.]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: As you can tell by now, the series is full of these. To name one particularly nasty example, ''Lost and Found'' has the kids [[spoiler: being murdered with a knife.]]

to:

** One story has fliers boasting typical store sale phrasing that effect the actual world. If it says 20% off, everything, such as food, feels 20% off. The story ends with one saying "Fire Sale: Everything must go!" [[spoiler: The [[spoiler:The sun gets hotter, everything goes.]]
** ''Dizzy Spells'' has wishes come true when you're dizzy. Someone gets so dizzy that they wish the world would stop spinning. [[spoiler: It [[spoiler:It does, but everything on it keeps moving]].
* FairyInABottle: In the short story by the same name, a boy catches a vicious fairy. He's unwilling to release it out of self-preservation, so it tries to bargain with him. [[spoiler: Said [[spoiler:Said bargain ends up being a trick that allows it to escape.]]
* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: As you can tell by now, the series is full of these. To name one particularly nasty example, ''Lost and Found'' has the kids [[spoiler: being [[spoiler:being murdered with a knife.]]



* KarmicTwistEnding: The story about the substitute teacher may qualify to some, seeing as it ends with [[spoiler: the revelation that he's an escaped lunatic who electrocutes the entire class...except for the one bullied girl, who'd been chased out in tears earlier.]]

to:

* KarmicTwistEnding: The story about the substitute teacher may qualify to some, seeing as it ends with [[spoiler: the [[spoiler:the revelation that he's an escaped lunatic who electrocutes the entire class...except for the one bullied girl, who'd been chased out in tears earlier.]]



* OrWasItADream: Inverted in ''Lucidity'' where a kid tries to have a lucid dream and [[spoiler: it seems like he's done it, but it turns out to be a prank and he was not dreaming. But then the story ends with his friend flying away, implying it was a dream after all.]]

to:

* OrWasItADream: Inverted in ''Lucidity'' where a kid tries to have a lucid dream and [[spoiler: it [[spoiler:it seems like he's done it, but it turns out to be a prank and he was not dreaming. But then the story ends with his friend flying away, implying it was a dream after all.]]



* RetGone: A kid discovers his VCR can delete the actual event that a tape has recorded by recording over it but eventually he [[spoiler: records over a tape of his birth, so he is deleted from existence.]]
* SocialMediaBeforeReason: The premise of ''Wipeout of the Wireless Weenies''. People are too busy trying to take pictures of a monster to stop it from [[spoiler: eating them.]]

to:

* RetGone: A kid discovers his VCR can delete the actual event that a tape has recorded by recording over it but eventually he [[spoiler: records [[spoiler:records over a tape of his birth, so he is deleted from existence.]]
* SocialMediaBeforeReason: The premise of ''Wipeout of the Wireless Weenies''. People are too busy trying to take pictures of a monster to stop it from [[spoiler: eating [[spoiler:eating them.]]



* TomatoSurprise: A few have one, such as ''Class Trip'' where the a class of full of kids are actually [[spoiler: werewolves]].
* TrappedInTVLand: One kid finds that his remote can take him inside TV shows. Eventually his brother tries to take advantage of this. [[spoiler: He accidentally goes inside Star Trek during a scene showing only space. The results aren't pretty]].

to:

* TomatoSurprise: A few have one, such as ''Class Trip'' where the a class of full of kids are actually [[spoiler: werewolves]].
[[spoiler:werewolves]].
* TrappedInTVLand: One kid finds that his remote can take him inside TV shows. Eventually his brother tries to take advantage of this. [[spoiler: He [[spoiler:He accidentally goes inside Star Trek during a scene showing only space. The results aren't pretty]].



* VoodooDoll: ''Sympathy Pains'' has a mean girl creating one to get revenge on a strict teacher that she feels is targeting her. Its powers are weak so eventually she plans to just a stick a needle right in the doll's heart. [[spoiler: She accidentally uses her own hair for the doll, so she winds up getting killed instead.]]


to:

* VoodooDoll: ''Sympathy Pains'' has a mean girl creating one to get revenge on a strict teacher that she feels is targeting her. Its powers are weak so eventually she plans to just a stick a needle right in the doll's heart. [[spoiler: She [[spoiler:She accidentally uses her own hair for the doll, so she winds up getting killed instead.]]

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ForcedTransformation: In "The Witch's Monkey", after freeing Crow Lady's monkey from its cage and getting caught, The main protagonist finds herself transformed into a monkey herself.

Added: 474

Changed: 538

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


The series debuted in 2003 with ''In the Land of the Lawn Weenies'', and is currently has a total of nine installments. In 2019, a spinoff was launched called "Teeny Weenies" which is the same format, but with illustrations and aimed at a [[LighterAndSofter younger audience]].

to:

Each book has a story dealing a type of people who take a certain subject too seriously or are not good at, called Weenies. That's where the titles come from. Each book has a section at the where Lubar goes into how he came up with each story.

The series debuted in 2003 with ''In the Land of the Lawn Weenies'', and is currently has had a total of nine installments. In 2019, a spinoff was launched called "Teeny Weenies" which is the same format, but with illustrations and aimed at a [[LighterAndSofter younger audience]].



* FracturedFairyTale: Most of the books contain a story of this type, with titles like ''Princess and the Pea Brain'' and ''Rapt Punzel''.



** One story is called [[Franchise/GhostInTheShell Ghost in the Well]].



* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: Any story that ends well winds up being this.

to:

* SurprisinglyHappyEnding: Any story that ends well winds up being this. David will sometimes lampshade this in the "About these Stories" section, noting when a story ended happier than he first expected going in.

Added: 237

Removed: 233

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AdultFear: A few stories have kids menaced not by supernatural creatures, but perfectly ordinary serial killers instead. Other stories also feature kids being endangered because they didn't tell their parents where they were going.


Added DiffLines:

* {{Mundanger}}: A few stories have kids menaced not by supernatural creatures, but perfectly ordinary serial killers instead. Other stories also feature kids being endangered because they didn't tell their parents where they were going.

Added: 324

Removed: 328

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
TRS cleanup


* FormulaBreakingEpisode:
** Some of the stories take on different formats, such as one told entirely through dialogue, or one done like a ''Literature/ChooseYourOwnAdventure'' book.
** While the weenies in the titular tales are usually people to be mocked, the ones in ''Check Out the Library Weenies'' are the protagonists.



* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: Some of the stories take on different formats, such as one told entirely through dialogue, or one done like a ''Literature/ChooseYourOwnAdventure'' book.
** While the weenies in the titular tales are usually people to be mocked, the ones in ''Check Out the Library Weenies'' are the protagonists.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* AdultFear: A few stories have kids menaced not by supernatural creatures, but perfectly ordinary serial killers instead. Other stories also feature kids being endangered because they didn't tell their parents where they were going.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:


* InfantImmortality: Very rarely played straight and usually averted.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* VoodooDoll: ''Sympathy Pains'' has a mean girl creating one to get revenge on a strict teacher that she feels is targeting her. Its powers are weak so eventually she plans to just a stick a needle right in the doll's heart. [[spoiler: She accidentally uses her own hair for the doll, so she winds up getting killed instead]]


to:

* VoodooDoll: ''Sympathy Pains'' has a mean girl creating one to get revenge on a strict teacher that she feels is targeting her. Its powers are weak so eventually she plans to just a stick a needle right in the doll's heart. [[spoiler: She accidentally uses her own hair for the doll, so she winds up getting killed instead]]

instead.]]

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** One story has fliers boasting typical store sale phrasing that effect the actual world. If it says 20% off, everything, such as food, feels 20% off. The story ends with one saying "Fire Sale: Everything must go!" [[spoiler: The sun gets hotter, everything goes]]

to:

** One story has fliers boasting typical store sale phrasing that effect the actual world. If it says 20% off, everything, such as food, feels 20% off. The story ends with one saying "Fire Sale: Everything must go!" [[spoiler: The sun gets hotter, everything goes]]goes.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ChristmasEveryDay: Parodied with ''Christmas Carol'' where [[spoiler: Carol is perfectly fine with it being Christmas every day the person who granted her wish is dissapointed she didn't learn anything.]]

to:

* ChristmasEveryDay: Parodied with ''Christmas Carol'' where [[spoiler: Carol is perfectly fine with it being Christmas every day day, and the person who granted her wish is dissapointed disappointed she didn't learn anything.]]

Added: 228

Changed: 177

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


The series debuted in 2003 with ''In the Land of the Lawn Weenies'', and is currently running today with a total of nine installments.

to:

The series debuted in 2003 with ''In the Land of the Lawn Weenies'', and is currently running today with has a total of nine installments.installments. In 2019, a spinoff was launched called "Teeny Weenies" which is the same format, but with illustrations and aimed at a [[LighterAndSofter younger audience]].


Added DiffLines:

* ShoutOut: The barber in ''A Little off the top'' is named Vince [[Literature/SweeneyTodd Sweeny]].


Added DiffLines:

* TomatoSurprise: A few have one, such as ''Class Trip'' where the a class of full of kids are actually [[spoiler: werewolves]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* StepfordSuburbia: The titular short story in ''In the Land of the Lawn Weenies'' is set in a suburban community where the dads have a zombie-like obsession with lawn care. The protagonist fears that his own dad will succumb to the mindset.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Hopefully inverted is the right wording here

Added DiffLines:

* OrWasItADream: Inverted in ''Lucidity'' where a kid tries to have a lucid dream and [[spoiler: it seems like he's done it, but it turns out to be a prank and he was not dreaming. But then the story ends with his friend flying away, implying it was a dream after all.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

** ''Dizzy Spells'' has wishes come true when you're dizzy. Someone gets so dizzy that they wish the world would stop spinning. [[spoiler: It does, but everything on it keeps moving]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: As you can tell by now, the series is full of these. To name one particularly nasty example, ''Lost and Found'' has the kids [[spoiler: being murdered with a knife.]]

Added: 177

Changed: 62

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* ChristmasEveryDay: Parodies with ''Christmas Carol'' where [[spoiler: Carol is perfectly fine with it being Christmas every day the person who granted her wish is dissapointed she didn't learn anything.]]

to:

* ChristmasEveryDay: Parodies Parodied with ''Christmas Carol'' where [[spoiler: Carol is perfectly fine with it being Christmas every day the person who granted her wish is dissapointed she didn't learn anything.]]



* DeadAllAlong: The twist to a few stories.

to:

* DeadAllAlong: The twist to a few stories. stories, one such example being [[spoiler: ''The Soda Fountain'']].


Added DiffLines:

* SocialMediaBeforeReason: The premise of ''Wipeout of the Wireless Weenies''. People are too busy trying to take pictures of a monster to stop it from [[spoiler: eating them.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* ChristmasEveryDay: Parodies with ''Christmas Carol'' where [[spoiler: Carol is perfectly fine with it being Christmas every day the person who granted her wish is dissapointed she didn't learn anything.]]

Top