pre-1930 | 1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s
books by decade
the 1980s
books I’ve enjoyed, broken down by decade
for all time, for all ages, for everyone
1980
Fables by Arnold Lobel
1981
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
1982
The Land I Lost by Quang Nhuong Huynh (won ALA Notable Children’s Book award)
1986
You’re Only Old Once! (A Book for Obsolete Children) by Dr. Seuss
1989
Moses’ Ark: Stories from the Bible by Alice Bach and J. Cheryl Exum, illustrated by Leo and Dianne Dillon
adult fiction
1980
A Quiver Full of Arrows (short story collection) by Jeffrey Archer
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
1982
The Parsifal Mosaic by Robert Ludlum
1983
1984
Neuromancer by William Gibson
1985
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Nocturne for the General by John Trenhaile
The Parsifal Mosaic by Robert Ludlum
1986
Q Clearance by Peter Benchley
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988
A Twist in the Tale (short story collection) by Jeffrey Archer
1989
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
short stories
1988
Clean Sweep Ignatius by Jeffrey Archer
non-fiction
coming soon
YA
1981
Westmark by Lloyd Alexander (National Book Award)
1982
The Kestrel by Lloyd Alexander
1984
The Beggar Queen by Lloyd Alexander
middle
1983
The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami (very strange and unsettling; an interesting cousin to the also-unsettling The Witches, also from this year. First read: October 2023)
children : elementary
1980
Fables by Arnold Lobel
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
The Twits by Roald Dahl
1982
The BFG by Roald Dahl
The Land I Lost by Quang Nhuong Huynh (won ALA Notable Children’s Book award)
1983
The Witches by Roald Dahl
1984
Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary
1987
The Z Was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg
1988
Matilda by Roald Dahl
children : picture books
1980
Fables by Arnold Loebel (Caldecott winner)
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
1981
Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg (Caldecott Winner)
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein
The Missing Piece Meets the Big O by Shel Silverstein
Quick as a Cricket by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood
1982
Miss Rumphius - story and pictures by Barbara Cooney
When I Was Young in the Mountains by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Diane Goode
1983
Me Too! by Mercer Mayer (Little Critter)
1984
Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (Caldecott winner)
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge - Mem Fox, illustrated by Julie Vivas
1985
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff & illustrated by Felicia Bond
King Bidgood's in the Bathtub by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Don Wood
The Relatives Came - story by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Stephen Gammell
1986
Brave Irene by William Steig
The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
You’re Only Old Once! : A Book for Obsolete Children by Dr. Seuss
1987
I Am Not Going to Get up Today! by Dr. Seuss, illustrated by James Stevenson
Owl Moon by Jane Yolen, illustrated by John Schoenherr (Caldecott Medal)
There’s an Alligator Under My Bed by Mercer Mayer
1988
Baby Says by John Steptoe
Just Me and My Friend by Mercer Mayer
The Trip by Mercer Mayer
1989
The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
coffee table books / other
coming soon
special category
coming soon
haven’t read
coming soon
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