Steven Universe: The Answer - Book Review

Steven Universe: The Answer - Book Review

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Posted 2019-08-31 by Marisa Quinn-Haisufollow

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The Answer is a children's picture book set in the Steven Universe series. It was published in 2016 by Cartoon Network Books. It is 32 pages long and suitable for children between 8 and 12 years of age. It was written by Rebecca Sugar, the creator of Steven Universe, and illustrated by Elle Michalka and Tiffany Ford.

Steven Universe is a children's television show that tells a coming-of-age story from the point of view of a young boy named Steven who is part human and part alien and part of a team of superheroes called the Crystal Gems who help to protect the Earth. Steven's mother was a Gem which is a humanoid race of aliens who have 'magical' gems embedded in their bodies.

A Gem's gemstone gives each of them a range of different magical powers and abilities, most notably fusion, which is when two Gems fuse their minds and bodies together to form a brand new and completely different Gem. Fusion can be a controversial topic among some Gems. Fusion is seen as acceptable in some circumstances, like when multiple Rubies merge together to become a giant Ruby, but fusion between different Gem types is discouraged and frowned upon.


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The Answer is the story about two very different Gems, a Sapphire and a Ruby, who decide to break the rules and fuse together to form a new Gem named Garnet. The Answer picture book is based off an episode of the Steven Universe television show that aired during season two.

The Answer is set thousands of years ago in the past. The Gems are arriving on Earth to take over the planet and transform it to suit their needs. Their plans are disrupted when a gem named Rose Quartz decides she likes the planet Earth just how it is and decides it should be protected. She forms a rebellion and recruits other Gems to fight with her against Homeworld's colonization of Earth.

Homeworld sends a Sapphire, an aristocratic Gem who can see into the future, to the planet Earth to report back on the situation with the rebels. Sapphire brings three Ruby bodyguards with her for her protection. While on Earth, Sapphire and her Rubies are attacked by the rebels. Sapphire predicted this would happen and had already accepted her death, believing it to be her fate. But just as she was about to fall under the blade of a Pearl, one of her Rubies alters fate by running in front of her, causing the two of them to accidentally fuse together and form Garnet.


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The other Gems are horrified by Sapphire and Ruby's fusion. The two Gems flee from the others, confused and frightened, and end up alone together on Earth. Ruby is stunned that she fused with a Gem as valuable as a Sapphire. She'd only ever merged with other Rubies before. She didn't know she could be someone else if she wanted to be. She was just a common Ruby guard. She didn't know she could be special.

And Sapphire had never been wrong before. How did this Ruby alter her fate? Was it ok to not have an answer? Was she supposed to fuse with Ruby? What does fusion mean? Is it ok to want to turn into Garnet?

The Answer is a story about two very different people who come from a society with strict rules about class, love and relationships. Sapphire and Ruby are fantastic positive role models for LBGTI youth. If you are a fan of Steven Universe, you have to pick up this book. Sapphire and Ruby's story translates into a really sweet fairytale and the illustrations are just gorgeous.

#art
#books_writing
#child_friendly
#fun_for_children
#LGBTIQ
#kids
#pop_culture
%wneverywhere
85673 - 2023-06-11 07:12:35

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