History Literature / TheButterBattleBook

It got an AnimatedAdaptation by Creator/RalphBashki, which Seuss later regarded as the best adaptation of any of his works.

It got an AnimatedAdaptation by Creator/RaplhBashki, which Seuss later regarded as the best adaptation of any of his works.

''The Butter Battle Book'' is a rhyming story written by [[Creator/DrSeuss Dr. Seuss]]. It was published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 12, 1984. It is an anti-war story; specifically, a parable about arms races in general, mutually assured destruction and nuclear weapons in particular. The Butter Battle Book was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.

This book was written during the Cold War era, and reflects the concerns of the time, especially the perceived possibility that all life on earth could be destroyed in a nuclear war. It can also be seen as a satirical work, with its depiction of a deadly war based on a senseless conflict over something as trivial as a breakfast food. The concept of a war based on toast is similar to the war between Lilliput and Blefuscu in Jonathan Swift's ''[[Literature/GulliversTravels Gulliver's Travels]]'', which was nominally based on the correct end to crack an egg once it's soft-boiled.

In 1989 Creator/RalphBakshi made an animated adaptation narrated by Creator/CharlesDurning. [[ApprovalOfGod Seuss himself praised it]] as the most faithful adaptation of his work.

* SillyReasonForWar: The trope's poster boy.

* SillyReasonForWar: The trope's poster boy. The reason that the Yooks and Zooks are at war is conflict about how to put the butter on bread.

* LensmansArmsRace: The plot, basically.

** Hell, it doesn't have a sad ending either. See NoEnding below.

In 1989 Creator/RalphBakshi made an animated adaptation narrated by Creator/CharlesDurning. [[ApprovalOfGodSeuss himself praised it]] as the most faithful adaptation of his work.

In 1989 Creator/RalphBakshi made an animated adaptation narrated by Creator/CharlesDurning, which is incredibly faithful to the original book.

* DarkerAndEdgier:
** As far as Dr. Seuss books go, this is his darkest children's book. Not only does it deal with the Cold War and the idea of the atom bomb, but it also doesn't have a happy ending.

* NoEnding: [[spoiler: Both the animation special and the book just stops during the most chilling moment when both the Yook and Zook are waiting to see who will drop the bomb first. It makes the whole thing much more powerful and allows a child to think and make up their own mind about the whole conflict.]]

* NoEnding: [[spoiler: Both the animation special and the book just stops during the most chilling moment when both the Yook and Zook are waiting to see who will drop the bomb first. It makes the whole thing much more powerful and allows child to think and make his own mind about the whole conflict.]]

** Creator/RalphBaskhi's animated adaptation makes the whole thing even darker, adding an unsettling sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a eerie musical number.

In 1989 [[RalphBakshi Ralph Bakshi]] made an animated adaptation narrated by Charles Durning, which is incredibly faithful to the original book.

** Ralph Baskhi's animated adaptation makes the whole thing even darker, adding an unsettling sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a eerie musical number.

In 1989 [[RalphBakshi Ralph Bakshi]] made an animated adaptation narrated by Charles Durning, which is incredible faithful to the original book.

** Ralph Baskhi's animated adaptation makes the whole thing even more darker, adding a NightmareFuel sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a eerie musical number.
* [[Main/TheGreatPoliticsMessUp The Great Politics Mess-Up]] : The animateds special (which like book uses a Berlin Wall expy) aired four days after the real Berlin Wall fell.

* SillyReasonForWar: The tropes poster boy. The reason that the Yooks and Zooks are at war is conflict about how put the butter on the bread.

* [[Main/TheGreatPoliticsMessUp The Great Politics Mess-Up]] : The animated version of The Butter Battle Book, a Cold War allegory with a Berlin Wall expy, aired four days after the real Berlin Wall fell.

** Ralph Baskhi's animated adaptation is even more darker, adding a NightmareFuel sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a eerie musical number.

** Ralph Baskhi's animated adaptation is slightly more creepy, adding a NightmareFuel sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a eerie musical number.

* DarkerAndEdgier: As far as Dr. Seuss books go, this is his darkest children's book. Not only does it deal with the Cold War and the idea of the atom bomb, but it also doesn't have a happy ending.

* NoEnding : [[spoiler: Both the animation special and tThe Book just stops during the most chilling moment when both the Yook and Zook are whaiting to see who will drop the bomb first. It makes the whole think much more powerfull and alows child to think and make his own mind about the whole conflict ]]

!!Both book and animated short provides examples of:

** Ralph Baskhi's animated adaptation is slightly more creepy adding NightmareFuel sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a eerie musical number.

* DarkerAndEdgier: As far Dr. Seuss books go, this is his darkest children's book. Not only does it deal with the Cold War and the idea of the atom bomb, but it also doesn't have a happy ending.

This book was written during the Cold War era, and reflects the concerns of the time, especially the perceived possibility that all life on earth could be destroyed in a nuclear war. It can also be seen as a satirical work, with its depiction of a deadly war based on a senseless conflict over something as trivial as a breakfast food. The concept of a war based on toast is similar to the war between Lilliput and Blefuscu in Jonathan Swift's [[Literature/GulliversTravels Gulliver's Travels]], which was nominally based on the correct end to crack an egg once soft boiled.


In 1989 [[RalphBakshi Ralph Bakshi]] mande an animated adaptation narrated by Charles Durning which is incredible faithful to the oryginal book.

* DarkerAndEdgier : As far Dr. Seuss go this is his darkest children book. Not only it's deals with the cold war and idea of the atom bomb but dosen't have a happy ending.
** Ralph Baskhis animated adaptation is slithly more creepy adding NightmareFuel sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a errie musical number.
* SillyReasonForWar: The tropes poster boy. The reason why Yooks and Zooks are at war is conflit about how put the butter on the bread.

* SillyReasonForWar: The tropes poster boy. The book is an condemnation of the Cold War and Mutually-Assured Destruction.

''The Butter Battle Book'' is a rhyming story written by Dr.Seuss. It was published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 12, 1984. It is an anti-war story; specifically, a parable about arms races in general, mutually assured destruction and nuclear weapons in particular. The Butter Battle Book was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.

This book was written during the Cold War era, and reflects the concerns of the time, especially the perceived possibility that all life on earth could be destroyed in a nuclear war. It can also be seen as a satirical work, with its depiction of a deadly war based on a senseless conflict over something as trivial as a breakfast food. The concept of a war based on toast is similar to the war between Lilliput and Blefuscu in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels, which was nominally based on the correct end to crack an egg once soft boiled.


In1 989 [Ralph Bakshi] mande an animated adaptation narrated by Charles Durning which is incredible faithful adaptation.

** Ralph Baskhis animated adaptation is slithly more creepy adding NightmareFuel sequence showing the scientists making the bomb during a errie musical number.