Guide to the Crystal Gems: A fun look into the world of gems

Guide to the Crystal Gems (Steven Universe) by Rebecca Sugar, published by Cartoon Network Books on October 6, 2015, age range 8-12.

As a fan of the show Steven Universe, which is the subject of Guide to the Crystal Gems, I was excited to read this informative book that gives readers more information about the beloved characters. And Rebecca Sugar (author of the book and creator of the show) did not disappoint!

Using a format similar to encyclopedias, this book is broken up into sections that covers most of the main characters in Steven Universe, specifically those that are the powerful gems from space. There is a table of contents at the beginning, which makes it easy for readers to find what specific info they're looking for. The book also features commentary dialogue from the four main characters, with speech bubbles of individual fonts and colors that differentiate between each character (as seen in the excerpt on the right).

Overall I think the content and organization of this book are very effective and entertaining. The information provided is more detailed than what kids see in the show, and the themes of the episodes carry over into the writing as well. Especially the messages of how important it is to communicate with and be kind to one another in friendships and relationships.

This book specifically appeals to fans of the show, but I think other children would enjoy it as well. Throughout the book there are many moments when the writing sort of interacts with the reader, encouraging them to follow some piece of advice or encouraging them in some way. For example, the exerpt on the left shows a page that lists the ways in which the reader can become a Crystal Gem like the characters on the show.

As far as similar books, Guide to the Crystal Gems is much like other informative books based on media such as TV shows or movies. The books published about the show Adventure Time are in particular very similar. But I would specifically recommend the other Steven Universe books, as they all connect to this one and would make a complete set if they were all added to a library's collection. Some of those books include Best Buds Together Fun (Steven Universe) by Jake Black, Quest for Gem Magic (Steven Universe) by Jake Black, and Live from Beach City! (Steven Universe) by Ian McGinty.

Some related activities to consider would be watching an episode of the show in conjuction with reading the book. This book would also be a good option for a crafting activity, such as having the children draw or color themself as a Crystal Gem. The Cartoon Network website also has games related to the show, which can be found here. There are also two app games available on most mobile devices, Attack the Light and Soundtrack Attack.