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Flashback to the . . . Awesome '80s!: Ready-to-Read Level 2
Explore the trends, fashion, technology, and inventions of the 1980s with this totally tubular Level 2 Ready-to-Read full of fun facts, illustrations, and interactive backmatter!
In the 1980s, boom boxes and breakdancing were all the rage, Cabbage Patch Kids were flying off the shelves, and a new TV station called MTV was launched. Kids will love learning about all things 80s, like the first at-home video game consoles, jelly shoes, leg warmers, eighties slang, and VCRs! Lighthearted illustrations, photographs of the fashion and fads, and approachable language introduce young readers to all this and even more hallmarks of the awesome decade.
In the 1980s, boom boxes and breakdancing were all the rage, Cabbage Patch Kids were flying off the shelves, and a new TV station called MTV was launched. Kids will love learning about all things 80s, like the first at-home video game consoles, jelly shoes, leg warmers, eighties slang, and VCRs! Lighthearted illustrations, photographs of the fashion and fads, and approachable language introduce young readers to all this and even more hallmarks of the awesome decade.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 2, 2023
15 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 13, 2026
One day, I woke up and the 80s had become a historical time period!
July 4, 2023
First sentence: Let's go traveling back in time, way back...to the awesome 1980s! Get ready for a totally tubular ride as you learn about trends, fads, and other rad things that helped define the decade! Some of the most popular toys were Teddy Ruxpin, Transformers, Rubik's Cube, Cabbage Patch Kids, Simon, and Strawberry Shortcake.
Premise/plot: This is a nonfiction title for young readers. It has three chapters or sections: "Totally Trendy!" "Far-Out Fashion and Fads," and "Say What?" The book ends by encouraging readers to find someone who grew up in the 1980s to find out more about what life was like.
My thoughts: Does this one cover everything there is to cover? No. Of course not! Does it cover a good amount? Probably yes. I thought it had substance. More substance than I was initially expecting. Yes, it tries a little too hard with the language. I didn't agree 100% with every single little thing. (Like the assertion that many TVs made in the 80s did not have remote controls.) Some of the photographs are misleading, in my opinion.
I do think the goal is to show how some things remain the same and how some things are very different.
Things that could have been included--but weren't--BARBIE, My Little Pony, Care Bears, Smurfs, Inspector Gadget, Muppet Babies, etc.
Premise/plot: This is a nonfiction title for young readers. It has three chapters or sections: "Totally Trendy!" "Far-Out Fashion and Fads," and "Say What?" The book ends by encouraging readers to find someone who grew up in the 1980s to find out more about what life was like.
My thoughts: Does this one cover everything there is to cover? No. Of course not! Does it cover a good amount? Probably yes. I thought it had substance. More substance than I was initially expecting. Yes, it tries a little too hard with the language. I didn't agree 100% with every single little thing. (Like the assertion that many TVs made in the 80s did not have remote controls.) Some of the photographs are misleading, in my opinion.
I do think the goal is to show how some things remain the same and how some things are very different.
Things that could have been included--but weren't--BARBIE, My Little Pony, Care Bears, Smurfs, Inspector Gadget, Muppet Babies, etc.
October 20, 2023
I'm am 80's kid, so 3 stars with an extra star for nostalgia.
I can confirm that this book is 100% true, especially:
MTV: I remember when it first came out. I was in 5th grade and it changed the landscape of our lives immeasurably.
Saturday morning cartoons and eating bowls of cereal while watching your favorite shows: The Smurfs, He-Man, etc. :) xoxo
Cel phones: the brick! My dad had one and yes, it weighed like 50 pounds! And bonus, we had a see-through telephone in my home, too!
Themes: 1980's, trends, history
Ages: 3-6th grade (however the book is a "Ready to Read: Level 2" -- so not sure of the intended audience here...)
Pub year: 2023
I can confirm that this book is 100% true, especially:
MTV: I remember when it first came out. I was in 5th grade and it changed the landscape of our lives immeasurably.
Saturday morning cartoons and eating bowls of cereal while watching your favorite shows: The Smurfs, He-Man, etc. :) xoxo
Cel phones: the brick! My dad had one and yes, it weighed like 50 pounds! And bonus, we had a see-through telephone in my home, too!
Themes: 1980's, trends, history
Ages: 3-6th grade (however the book is a "Ready to Read: Level 2" -- so not sure of the intended audience here...)
Pub year: 2023
May 27, 2023
An interesting "slice of history" early chapter book begins with a glossary of 12 80's words: Answering Machine, Boom Box, Camcorder, Cordless phone, Floppy Disk, Gnarly, Mullet, Perm, Rad, Tubular, VCR (videocassette recorder) and Walkman. As one can glance from the glossary it is definitely more hitting the "technology" and trends of what kids might be into during the decade. So for those of us growing up in the 1980's it's a trip down pop culture memory lane.
July 19, 2023
The 1980s were full of fads and trends, with new fashions and an explosion of technology.
This level two "Ready to Read" is a look back for the reader to their grandparent's time. I thought AJ would think it was cool - she lost interest before finishing it. Full of lists with little explanation (what even is rewind?) of TV shows, toys, computers, and gaming. I think it would be a hard sell to the intended audience.
Cross-posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
This level two "Ready to Read" is a look back for the reader to their grandparent's time. I thought AJ would think it was cool - she lost interest before finishing it. Full of lists with little explanation (what even is rewind?) of TV shows, toys, computers, and gaming. I think it would be a hard sell to the intended audience.
Cross-posted to http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com
August 20, 2024
Despite some of the hilarious inaccuracies via the photos (what kid would be caught dead wearing a helmet back then? Who ran around looking like some of the modeled photos?? etc.) and some of the info (which is way too generalized imo), this is about the only book I can find for this age group about the 80s. It suffices, but it feels like it was written by someone who definitely did not live in that decade (I did). ;) Having said that, it does contain some good info that was fun to read!
June 15, 2023
Do the author, illustrator, or editor of this book have firsthand experience of living in this decade? Looking at some of the content in this book, I suspect the answer is NO. There are some hilariously inaccurate illustrations and text in here.
June 10, 2023
Pretty accurate, made me feel old!!
May 19, 2025
It's nice. By the way I like the pictures but make it the actual thing would make the book better
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews