
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
LADY REAPER
Disorderly ghosts. Dejected
fays. Dreadful elves.
books2read.com
Jack's 1st Birthday Adventure
Journey to Jingle Jangle:
A fun story with activities!
Amazon
A SQUEAKY TOY, A LEASH, AND
A PRAYER Mom's Choice Awards
GOLD - for dog loving families
Amazon
THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER
"A refined fantasy adventure”
- Silver Medal, TWSA
books2read.com
Writing in a Nutshell
Writing Workshops to
Improve Your Craft
Amazon
Ships in the Desert
Timely, illuminating, and wise
—Julian Hoffman
Amazon
HEALER'S BLADE
Can a young woman change
the fate of England?
StoryOrigin
Esme and Griswald
A WITCH in search of a
POTION to save her PRINCE
Amazon
Me and My Shadow
Honest reflection how cancer
took a boy to death’s door.
Amazon
The Lost Heir Book 1 and 2
Mash Princess Bride
+ dash of GOT
Amazon
The Fungus Among Us
Encourage children to explore
and connect to nature
Amazon
Lucy Wants To go To School
Perfect for apprehensive
children starting school
Amazon
Glitching Souls - Steve Kenney
Neil can read minds...
He can't turn them off.
Amazon
Battle for Eklatros
Can Ànifa’s party save
Eklatros from the invasion?
Amazon
MORATURI LOST
Ship lost in Andromeda:
The vet is now Captain!
Amazon
NUDGES FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Must-read for those who grieve
or curious about the afterlife
Amazon
The Princess and the Spy
A witty and heartfelt
YA fantasy mystery
Amazon
The Third Estate
WHEN THE TRUTH SURFACES
AND THE LIES are REVEALED
Amazon
What Death Taught Terrence
A man reviews life from the
beyond. What will he learn?
Amazon
Love in the Cupboard
A sweet, clean Catholic Priest
seeks a wife rom-com
Amazon
Captain Polo Saving the Planet
"Eco-adventure comics
for middle graders"
www.alanhesse.com
WHINGEY WILLIAMS Term 1
Follow Whingey on her FIRST
adventure on Gower
Amazon
TWO LEFT WINGS - Safety Averse
4 kids - heart-warming / funny
friendship and self-growth
Amazon
THE REPROBATES
Do you remember suffering
from a death of the soul?
www.benjamingrose.co.uk
Harmony Dances On
Helping children navigate the
journey through grief
Amazon
The Toad from Outer Space
A cautionary tale about a
toad-ily historic space flight
www.childrensfunnybooks.co.uk
HUNGRY TRAILS
‘A…culturally rich family
chronicle.’ Kirkus Review
Amazon
DRAGONDAH
The Secret Legacy
of Ottillee Bottomly
Amazon
THE JEWEL OF WENZLO
An epic conflict
between rodent kings
Amazon
Bentley Makes a Dump Cake
A delightful, messy adventure
with joy, teamwork, & color
Miki Taylor
The Power of...
kindness, gratitude,
empathy & positivity
Amazon
The Devil has Spoken
2020: The Devil has created a
virus that won't discriminate
Everand
Look 'N Up Invasion
Celebrate diversity by
imagining a world without it.
looknup.us
SEA CHANGE
Gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea
Nick Bamford
Touch of the Whimsy
Witty fantasy, this Castaway
romance is an enigma!
Amazon
The Long Road to Namai
Adventures of a daughter of
Earth on a planet of psychics
Amazon
A Vampire's Tooth Fairy Chase
A vampire with flat teeth
searches for the Tooth Fairy.
Amazon
The Puppet Maker's Daughter
Marika protects her family &
orphaned children from Nazis.
Amazon
Social Media & Mental Health
‘’Empower your child to be
safe in the digital world’’
Amazon
CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF ANSWERS
"Crazy family. Endless cold
case. Then there's a clue!"
Amazon
BEHIND THE PICKLE JAR
A fun, relatable,
emotionally powerful read!
Amazon
GRAVE SECRETS-Cassandra Aston
The dark fantasy you've
been waiting for
Amazon
Sea Change by Nick Bamford
'A gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea'
nickbamford.com
The Lost Heir Book 1 and 2
Mash Princess Bride
+ dash of GOT
Amazon
Mother To Elephants
A Beautiful Tale of
Care and Compassion
Amazon
The Crooked Ladder
It's time to climb...
or die
Amazon
Out of the Darkness...
A memoir of animal
connections, love, and healing
books2read.com
A Rage To Live
A true boys' coming of age
story set during the Holocaust
Amazon
Church of the Assassin
A brutal purge. A reason
to live. A reason to kill.
Amazon
Destiny Lives on Fairhaven St.
A father's true story to his
sons. Winner of 17 awards.
Amazon
Digging Deep by Dexter Hutt
She can cope with murder -
but what about betrayal?
Amazon
Perfect Middle Grade Series
Montana and her friends
save the forest animals!
Amazon
The Pivotal Pastor
A pastor and famous
architect transform a parish
Amazon
CHARCOAL BOY
Tudor London, boy, entangled
in politics, wins through
Amazon
Inspirational Mindset Journey
This book, therapy by power of
fiction, can alter your life.
Amazon
A Rage To Live
A true boys' coming of age
story set during the Holocaust
Amazon
Children of the Realm
Girl finds mythical origins
in YA urban fantasy
Amazon
Crossing Borders
American memoir on prospects
for peace in Palestine/Israel
christabruhn.com
THE TIFFIN
Lost tiffin. Note gone astray.
A boy's search for family.
Amazon