The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss

I missed Dr. Suess's birthday.

Since I am not working in an elementary school this year, it passed without the hoopla, hats and celebratory readings. But I was reminded today, as a librarian and I were weeding in an old school library. The Seuss books were well loved, ripped and scribbled in, held together with tape. It really is amazing how hard it is to let them go to book heaven. It is also amazing how many of his books are still popular. Most authors have one or two books which are the ones that become their legacy, I think Seuss has four times that.

But there are some of his books that are not well known. My friend had never seen The Butter Battle Book and then had to listen while I excitedly talked it up.
Book talk -book rant?

The Butter Battle Book is the book I always read to 3rd grade and up for Dr. Seuss's birthday. I would start out by explaining that sometimes books have messages that writers are trying to impart. Dr. Seuss wrote this book to express his political opinions about war. He wrote this during the Cold War when the USA and the Soviet Union were having an arms race, building bigger and more dangerous weapons. (I like to tell students about growing up near Washington D.C. and how we had bomb drills and how scared we were. How we all knew someone who had built a bomb shelter in their backyard or basement. That usually gets their attention.)

Then I read the book. In true Seuss style, his story of war between the Yooks and the Zooks is told with humor and wonderful illustrations. The Rube Goldberg type weapons with names like "Jigger-Rock Snatchem" increase in size and complexity, as the battle over butter side up or down becomes a full fledged war. I have to admit that sometimes I skip some words, if I'm pressed for time, but the basic premise and the pictures are so strong, it doesn't matter. Seuss did not bother being subtle and this book was actually banned at one point during the Cold War, presumably because he presented both sides as equally culpable in the acceleration of conflict.

What I love about this book is that children get it. The Butter Battle Book is one of the best books I know of to inspire discussion about conflict on all levels.
Thanks Theo.