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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CLEAR-CUTS
Raw, visceral, unflinching...
ties that bind coming unbound
Amazon
FIGHT
Thought-provoking poems encou-
raging us to fight for justice
YouTube
Crowded platforms Window Seats
One family's adventures
around Europe by train.
Amazon
THE DARK PLACES NOVELS
Paranormal thrillers to
get your pulse racing
kimgravell.com
BEHIND THE PICKLE JAR
A fun, relatable,
emotionally powerful read!
Amazon
The Accidental Boyfriend
Slightly steamy, fake dating,
celebrity young adult romcom
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Thar She Blows
Brian got swallowed by
a whale. Mom’ll be mad.
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TOUCH
Gritty coming-of-age
fiction with a purpose
Amazon
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Loss & healing through friend-
ship knitting and community.
Amazon
The Shadow Deception
Can a pranking pixie and a
grumpy angel save the world?
Amazon
SeaMouse Builds a Boat
Mouse must find EVERYTHING he
needs to BUILD his boat.
Amazon
HUNGRY TRAILS
‘A…culturally rich family
chronicle.’ Kirkus Review
Amazon
Dinosaur Symphony
A Guide to Dinosaurs
and Classical Music
Amazon
BROKEN
A victim to survivor love
story with a twist.
Amazon
EVERKNIGHT
A Heroic Journey of
Uncompromising Honor
Amazon
Mother To Elephants
A Beautiful Tale of
Care and Compassion
Amazon
Inspirational Mindset Journey
This book, therapy by power of
fiction, can alter your life.
Amazon
THE SAD PRINCESS
Refinding joy with our
children is not a fairy tale
Amazon
The Putaway Monster
A delightful mystery to
solve as toys disappear.
Amazon
Meet the Snozzeralls
Fun & Educational
Kids Picture Book
Amazon
Love in the Cupboard
A sweet, clean Catholic Priest
seeks a wife rom-com
Amazon
Girl & the Lock on Her Heart
An empowering book to
ignite everyone’s self love.
Amazon
The Collective Consciousness
Embark on a journey into the
depths of the human spirit!
Amazon
The Lost Heir Book 1 and 2
Mash Princess Bride
+ dash of GOT
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The Crooked Ladder
It's time to climb...
or die
Amazon
Pebbles and the Biggest Number
A butterfly’s quest to
find the largest number
Amazon
Building The Beast:
The Comic Memoir
of a Crazy Idea!
Amazon
CALM POND
TOP 10 BOOK - 9 short stories
for 5 - 9 year olds
Amazon
Wild Asses of Mojave Desert
“Funny & tender, moving &
poetic" Recommended US Review
books2read.com
JOYFUL LIFE PRESS
Books and workbooks that
entertain, support and inspire
www.joyfullifepress.com
WHINGEY WILLIAMS Term 1
Follow Whingey on her FIRST
adventure on Gower
Amazon
THE PEBBLE CHAMPION
A stirring tale
of sadness and self-discovery.
Amazon
CHILDREN OF HORSESHOE HIDEOUT
A modern day Boxcar Children,
loved the world over
Amazon
The Power of...
kindness, gratitude,
empathy & positivity
Amazon
Misty Black Media, LLC
Get your picture book designed
& formatted by a professional
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CATNIP
Cosy mystery with catnapping,
murder and a dash of romance.
Amazon
I’m Going to Have a Sister
For new siblings teaching
patience & understanding
thegreatbritishbookshop
Churchill’s Secret Army
WW2 courage and sacrifice
in the undercover SOE
www.cloudshillpress.com
Monty and the Monster
Heartwarming adventure
of an unlikely friendship
Amazon
The Monarchs
"A thought-provoking spiritual
quest" - Kirkus Reviews
Amazon
LADY REAPER
Disorderly ghosts. Dejected
fays. Dreadful elves.
books2read.com
Portraits of a Pandemic
The story of how a microscopic
virus changed our lives.
Amazon
THE WAY OF WATER
Brilliant YA Fantasy with
Magic, Mystery & Romance
Amazon
What You Cannot See
A woman trying to navigate
and understand her life
Amazon
Fenix and the Firework Fliers
Can Fenix save the Fireworks
when a firefly gets sick?
creativemovementstories.com
Winkle and Aster
Urban fantasy that takes
imagination to its limits
books2read
“Later,†Said Gator
Encourage kids to clean up
in a positive, fun way!
Amazon
The Silence of Children
An accidental vigilante with
no superhero skills
Amazon
Marlon and the Scary Something
Scaredy cat finds courage,
foils fear, wins friend
Amazon
Azoria's Blade
They attacked her homeland.
Now, Azoria seeks her revenge.
Amazon
“Hatch Chile Willie”
offers children a heartwarming
tale of friendship
Amazon
THE S.O.U.R.C.E.
Marine Animals, Kids
Miracle Escape, Powerful Messa
Amazon
Tatiana and the Russian Wolves
A Russian émigré reconciles
tragic family secrets
www.stephenevansjordan.com
Lucy Wants To go To School
Perfect for apprehensive
children starting school
Amazon
What Is the Shape of My Egg?
Introducing children to shape.
"An excellent STEM resource!"
Amazon
THE TRALL SERIES
Middle-grade portal
fantasies set in Australia.
by Gayle Torrens
Harmony Dances On
Helping children navigate the
journey through grief
Amazon
Look 'N Up Invasion
A clever mix of fantasy,
family drama & cultural debate
Goodreads
Comfort in the Wings
A woman’s inspiring quest for
comfort and joy after grief
Amazon