The relationship between two female characters, Ruby and Sapphire, isn’t just one of the most delightful aspects of Steven Universe—it’s a groundbreaking portrayal of non-traditional love in a kid’s cartoon, that’s quite unlike anything on TV. And now, that love story is being retold in a gorgeous children’s book.
https://gizmodo.com/steven-universe-returns-with-a-fairytale-ode-to-its-mos-1751141273
As announced by Steven Universe creator Rebecca Sugar on her Tumblr, The Answer will be a storybook retelling of the episode of the same name, which revealed how the two young gems Ruby and Sapphire met, fell in love, and fused into Garnet, a living recreation of their love for each other.
According to Sugar, who will be writing the book, the story will be expanded on to take advantage of the longer format (after all, it doesn’t need to be squeezed into an 11-minute cartoon episode), while Steven Universe season 1 art director Elle Michalka and storyboard artist Tiffany Ford will provide art work.
The drop-dead-gorgeous cover art, by Michalka, is definitely keeping in line with the beautiful artstyle the episode used (fun fact, more of which you can see on Michalka’s website).
Seriously: it’s already amazing that Steven Universe gets to portray and explore love between female-coded characters, both platonic and romantic, for its young audience. Now it’s going to give those same children a fairytale storybook about two female-identifying characters falling in love with each other? This show never stops being fantastic when it comes to representation like this, and it’s part of what makes it so delightful to watch.
The Answer will be available later this year.
