
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.
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Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
London to life in Washington
in a family of secrets
Amazon
The Lost Heir Book 1 and 2
Mash Princess Bride
+ dash of GOT
Amazon
B.A. Bellec
2 x Wishing Shelf
Award Recipient
Amazon
Irish Famine Novel
My novel Hungry Trails
celebrates family resilience
Amazon
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Knitting, Friendship, Loss &
Healing in a Children's Story
Amazon
How We Healed
A vivid family saga and an
unforgettable healing odyssey
Amazon
Jemma and the Raven
A luminous adventure in
this epic YA fantasy debut
Amazon
NEW TRAILS
One step changed his world.
One man changed his heart.
Amazon
CHARCOAL BOY
Tudor London, boy, entangled
in politics, wins through
Amazon
The Stranger of Ul Darak BK 1
A new intriguing epic
high fantasy series
sceston.com
Naked in the Now
What if presence felt like
being seduced by life?
Amazon
Wild Atlantic Way Anthology
Characters along Ireland’s
Majestic Coast
Amazon
THEY'RE ALL BARKING
Springer Spaniel's eye-opening
view of human behaviour
Amazon
Return to Vienna
How SOE worked to free
Austria from Hitler's grip
Amazon
Your Perfect Freelancer HERE!
Illustrators, Writers, Blurbs,
Editors, Layout Designs
Metaworx
2024... Your Year of More
is a meaningful self-help
book for wise readers.
Amazon
Plea to a Frozen God
A desperate trio appeals
to the God of Death.
Amazon
Fenix and the Firework Fliers
Can Fenix save the Fireworks
when a firefly gets sick?
creativemovementstories.com
Top Psychological Thriller
Two couples befriend each
other with tragic consequences
Amazon
Pure Ink Press
Quality partnership publisher
open for submissions
Pure Ink Press
The Boy from the Night Sky
Thrilling fantasy adventure
for all ages.
Amazon
Marco & Me
Stories & photos of the
adventures of a real dog
Amazon
Oscar and Friends...
will help you along, sharing
a world where everyone belongs
mollyarbuthnott
The Toad from Outer Space
A cautionary tale about a
toad-ily historic space flight
www.childrensfunnybooks.co.uk
A Mixing Colour Adventure
Colour mixing, teamwork &
perseverance for 3 - 7 yr olds
Amazon
Sprout's Surprise!
A humorous story with
a gentle ecofriendly message
Amazon
Nantucket Monsters
Island monsters on the sly,
live in the corner your eye
B. LAWSON HULL
Children Who Dance in the Rain
A children's book about
gratitude and self-discovery.
Amazon
The Last Spiritwalker
Blood, magic, myths &
a badass female lead
Amazon
Comfort in the Wings
An inspiring, heartfelt
journey of joy after loss
Amazon
HUNGRY TRAILS
‘A…culturally rich family
chronicle.’ Kirkus Review
Amazon
Tales of Witches and Wyverns
Join Enid’s quest to save
friends from a fae queen
Amazon
Secrets of a Social Butterfly
How I unstuck my life
and you can too.
Lynn Bruines
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Steve's 2 other personalities
wreak havoc all around him
Amazon
Tatiana and the Russian Wolves
A Russian émigré reconciles
tragic family secrets
www.stephenevansjordan.com
I’m Going to Have a Sister
For new siblings teaching
patience & understanding
thegreatbritishbookshop
An Enemy Like Me
What would you do for love?
3 POV WWII HistFic Saga
www.terimbrown.com
RAIN FALLING ON EMBERS
A grieving, fish out of water
teen struggles to survive.
KatieMcCabeSeries.com
THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER
"A refined fantasy adventure”
- Silver Medal, TWSA
books2read.com
What Death Taught Terrence
A man reviews life from the
beyond. What will he learn?
Amazon
PARIS BLUE, first love memoir
Classical music and first love
in the magical city of Paris
www.mybook.to
No Death in Finding Nemo
Stories of mundane lives which
change in surprising ways
www.jeffreyfeingold.com
Ships in the Desert
Timely, illuminating, and wise
—Julian Hoffman
Amazon
THE WAY OF WATER
Brilliant YA Fantasy with
Magic, Mystery & Romance
Amazon
Sneaky Snobby by Jennifer Kvam
LOOK OUT! Making trouble is
Sneaky Snobby´s hobby!
Amazon
Rainbow Cat and Mouse
How a hungry cat and a feisty
mouse become best friends
Amazon
FALSE NEUTRAL
One chance to finally
make sense of it all.
Amazon
REVOLUTION: A NOVEL
Comical misadventures in
modern Los Angeles
Amazon
Alfie Slider vs Shape Shifter
It’s no ordinary key –
it breaks the laws of physics!
Amazon
Soar: A Soul's Quest
A young eagle on a quest of
self-discovery & enlightenment
Amazon
Life with psychopathic brother
A quirky philosophical novel
about forgiveness.
linnaspen.com
Publishing Questions?
Find easy to understand
answers, top tips & more.
oldmatemedia
Destiny Lives on Fairhaven St.
A father's true story to his
sons. Winner of 17 awards.
Amazon
Dinosaur Symphony
A Guide to Dinosaurs
and Classical Music
Amazon
Sibby's Secret
Heart-stopping adventure
for our detective Buccaneers
Amazon
Dinosaur Symphony
A Guide to Dinosaurs
and Classical Music
Amazon
Perfect Middle Grade Series
Montana and her friends
save the forest animals!
Amazon
Children of the Knight
When the children rise,
will the city fall?
Amazon
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows, & humans
dying at Moonshine Mesa?
Amazon