
Finalists 2021
Below is a list of the 2021 FINALISTS in The Wishing Shelf Book Awards. The children's books were read and judged by children in 8 UK primary and secondary schools, the adult books by 2 Reading Groups, 1 in London and 1 in Stockholm. The books were marked according to EDITING, THEME, STYLE, COVER and, in the case of many of the children's books, ILLUSTRATIONS.
The WINNERS will be announced on April 1st, 2022.
Jump straight to:
- Category 1: Pre-school picture books
- Category 2: Books for 6 - 8 year olds
- Category 3: Books for 9 - 12 year olds
- Category 4: Books for Teenagers
- Category 5: Books for adults (fiction)
- Category 6: Books for Adults (non-fiction)
- Category 7: Audio Book - Children/Young Adult
- Category 8: Audio Book - Adult
- Category 9: Best Book Cover - Children/Young Adult
- Category 10: Best Book Cover - Adult
- Red Ribbon Bands
If you happen to be looking for a good read, the readers at The Wishing Shelf Awards thoroughly recommend the following:

Nurse Bear Does First Aid: Picture Book to Learn First Aid Skills for Toddlers and Kids
Author: Marta Almansa Esteva

Olive the Worrying Wiener: A Short Tale about a Particularly Long Dog
Author: Ally Arena
Illustrator: Rafaela Sukiyama

Monster in the Water: Fighting Back Against Harmful Algal Blooms
Author: Dylan Dagate
Illustrator: Maria Decerce

Sticky Icky Vicky: Courage over Fear
Author: Alysia Ssentamu, Michael Ssentamu
Illustrator: Noor Alshalabi

Audacious Goals, Remarkable Results: How an Explorer, an Engineer and a Statesman shaped our Modern World
Author: Brad Borkan and David Hirzel

Black, White, And Gray All Over; A Black Man’s Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement
Author: Frederick Reynolds

Just Say "$%#&! NO!†Book Dedicated to the Well-Intended Overextended!
Author: Heather Tobin
Illustrator: Karen Tobin

Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths: From Alexander to Hitler to the Corporation
Author: Joseph N Abraham MD

Grandpa Jock and the Incredible Iron-Bru-Man Incident: Gorgeous George
Author: Stuart Reid
Performed by: Stuart Reid

Fries & Alibis: Paranormal Cozy Mystery: Mitzy Moon Mysteries Series, Book 1
Author: Trixie Silvertale
Performed by: Coleen Marlo

Systemology: Create Time, Reduce Errors and Scale Your Profits with Proven Business Systems
Author: David Jenyns

The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People
Author: Deborah Stone
Performed by: Maggie Ollerenshaw

Little Wade and Watchtower: Abigail and the Great Gang Trap
Author: Sean March
Cover Designer: Joe Ruiz

Rory, Quest for the Northern Lights
Author: Sarah Cullen, Carmen Ellis
Cover Designer: Zuzana Svobodova

The Young Adult’s Collection of Short Scary Stories
Author: Michael Ross
Cover Designer: Magdalena Adić
A Red Ribbon is awarded to a book that did NOT get over 30/40 to be a finalist, but was still very much enjoyed by the readers.
Sponsored Ads
Hanna’s Ascent
A lyrical story of transgender
history and triumph
www.bedazzledink.com
Churchill’s Secret Army
WW2 courage and sacrifice
in the undercover SOE
www.cloudshillpress.com
Nantucket Monsters
Island monsters on the sly,
live in the corner your eye
B. LAWSON HULL
Alphamind
Embark on a journey into the
depths of the human spirit!
Amazon
Rainbow Bridge
Ever wondered where your
dog ends up after this life?
Amazon
Growing up Hadley
A story to shatter your heart
then mend it anew.
danawritesbooks
Nemesis Rising
"Survival comes with a cost
for Sam …his humanity."
Amazon
A SQUEAKY TOY, A LEASH, AND
A PRAYER Mom's Choice Awards
GOLD - for dog loving families
Amazon
Anna and the Adders
A rhyming counting book
to get little ones learning
Amazon
The One Week Writing Workshop
7 Days to Spark, Boost
or Revive Your Novel
Karin Adams
SIN EATER
A girl with the power to
erase ANY bad memory!
Amazon
WHINGEY WILLIAMS Term 1
Follow Whingey on her FIRST
adventure on Gower
Amazon
Touch of the Whimsy
Witty fantasy, this Castaway
romance is an enigma!
Amazon
The Stress Book
STRESS MANAGEMENT & PREVENTION
BOOK, WINNER OF 40+ AWARDS
Amazon
The Pond of Reflection
A Fantasy Adventure - Teamwork
Friendship & Self-Discovery
Amazon
Sammie and Pumpkin
An adopted dog learns
how to make new friends.
Amazon
Comfort in the Wings
An inspiring, heartfelt
journey of joy after loss
Amazon
THREE DETAIL STORIES audiobks
Where storytime is an
adventure designed by kids
threedetailaudiobooks
Life with psychopathic brother
A quirky philosophical novel
about forgiveness.
linnaspen.com
DRAGONDAH (9 - 12 year olds)
Solving ancient mysteries and
outwitting scheming villains!
Amazon
TOUCH
Gritty coming-of-age
fiction with a purpose
Amazon
The Boy and the Jaguar
A magical Mayan tale
for middle-grade readers.
Amazon
Writing in a Nutshell
Writing Workshops to
Improve Your Craft
Amazon
An Enemy Like Me
A story not only of war but of
love & what we will do for it.
Amazon
BROKEN
A victim to survivor love
story with a twist.
Amazon
Portraits of a Pandemic
The story of how a microscopic
virus changed our lives.
Amazon
Love in the Cupboard
A sweet, clean Catholic Priest
seeks a wife rom-com
Amazon
The Campbell Sisters
3 sisters work towards very
different goals in 1955 NYC
Amazon
Harvey's Hutch
A man, nearly seventy,
looks back on his life.
Amazon
A Portion of Malice
A thought-provoking thrill
ride into the apocalypse
Amazon
DRAGONDAH
The Secret Legacy
of Ottillee Bottomly
Amazon
Plea to a Frozen God
A desperate trio appeals
to the God of Death.
Amazon
SOUTH KOREA
A nuanced & engaging analysis
of Korea's rise to prominence.
Amazon
The Open Book
A family memoir of adventure,
trauma, & resilience
Amazon
WELCOME TO OPINE
Homo Sapiens 2.0: Will genetic
blessing be their undoing?
Amazon
Fit to Eat
Empower yourself to age
without chronic diseases.
Amazon
The Long Road to Namai
Adventures of a daughter of
Earth on a planet of psychics
Amazon
The Accidental Boyfriend
Slightly steamy, fake dating,
celebrity young adult romcom
lorifreeland
Look 'N Up Invasion
Celebrate diversity by
imagining a world without it.
looknup.us
DAUGHTER OF SPIES
Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
A FINALIST in TWSA
Amazon
MERCY'S VIEW: BLACKOUT
Memoir - A runaway's reckless
re-entry into society
Amazon
Secrets of The Sealed Forest
Magic awakens in this
modern fantasy adventure.
Amazon
Sophia and Sinclair Get Lost!
A rabbit and a turtle get
lost in a hay maze!
Amazon
Jemma and the Raven
A luminous adventure in
this epic YA fantasy debut
Amazon
THE COIN
CAN FINDING A COIN
GET YOU KILLED?
books2read
SECRET SKY
Everybody wishes they could
fly - until it happens
books2read.com
Sibby's Secret
Heart-stopping adventure
for our detective Buccaneers
Amazon
JOYFUL LIFE PRESS
Books and workbooks that
entertain, support and inspire
www.joyfullifepress.com
GOING UNDER THE RADAR
Honest, insightful, battling
autism/mental health - TWSA
Amazon
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Loss & healing through friend-
ship knitting and community.
Amazon
LADY APPRENTICE
"Love, fighting, mystery and
magic” BRAG Medallion
books2read.com
“Later,†Said Gator
Encourage kids to clean up
in a positive, fun way!
Amazon
Finn's Funny Feelings
Helping children to manage
emotions in a healthy way
Amazon
The Broken Wife
A gripping tale of love,
loss, and BETRAYAL.
Amazon
Adventures of Beryl and Carol
Award winning, clean teen
adventure for all ages.
berylandcarol
Tatiana and the Russian Wolves
A Russian émigré reconciles
tragic family secrets
www.stephenevansjordan.com
Publishing Questions?
Find easy to understand
answers, top tips & more.
oldmatemedia
Book Love
YOUNG READERS become
WORLD LEADERS
Lorilyn Roberts
The Monarchs
"A thought-provoking spiritual
quest" - Kirkus Reviews
Amazon