Clockwise from left: 'Boy George fashion & make-up book', 1984 [Library shelfmark: W8.84.388], 'Cáite bheil Spot?', 1982 [Library shelfmark: W8.83.75], 'Mastering Pac-Man', 1982 [Library shelfmark: HP1.83.2018], 'You can do the cube', 1981 [Library shelfmark: PB2.218.73/6], 'Grange Hill stories', 1979 [Library shelfmark: WP1.79.555].
Children of the 1980s will remember some of the best-loved books and pastimes of the decade, and these can be revisited through the Library collections.
'Where's Spot?' was first published in 1980 and was an instant hit with young readers, with its lift-the-flap pages. The first book went on to be translated into a number of languages, including Gaelic, and a series of further 'Spot' books followed.
Popular games, fashion and television
The Rubiks Cube went on sale in 1980 and was a craze enjoyed by children of all ages. 'You can do the cube' was written by 12-year-old Patrick Bossert, and contained detailed sequences to progress through to solve the puzzle. Also created in 1980 was the computer game Pac-Man. Fans of the game sought to improve their scores with books like 'Mastering Pac-Man'.
Television series 'Grange Hill' was a staple in most schoolchildren's TV viewing schedule. A number of books, including 'Grange Hill stories' were published throughout the 1980s to accompany the show.
Fashion and beauty fads were abundant in the 1980s and Boy George became a style icon. The book 'Boy George fashion & make-up book' gave teenagers step-by-step instructions to recreate the latest look.
To read more about 1980s youth culture, see also:
Further 1980s essays and videos are available in our 1980s retrospective 'Back to the future: 1979-1989' website.