Finalists 2022
Below is a list of the 2022 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, 2023.
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:

Benny the Brave in The First Day Jitters
Author: Julie Anne Penn and Darren Penn
Illustrator: Sergio De Giorgi

The Dragon and the Unicorn: The Magic of Friendship,
Author: Charly Froh
Illustrator: Zuzana Svobodova

Novo, The Space Robot, How to Solve the Mystery of Crying
Author: Charly Froh
Illustrator: Zuzanna Svobodova

Super Kena - A Girl Made Fierce with Hearing Aids
Author: Becky Cymbaluk
Illustrator: Zuzana Svobodova
A Red Ribbon is awarded to a book that did NOT get over 25/35 to be a finalist, but was still very much enjoyed by the readers.
Sponsored Ads
SEA CHANGE
Gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea
Nick Bamford
WHINGEY WILLIAMS Term 1
Follow Whingey on her FIRST
adventure on Gower
Amazon
THE PORTAL KEEPER
Enter a world of Fantastic
Creatures and Magic!
books2read
THE PHILOSOPHER & THE ASSASSIN
campus novel, moral
philosophy, and murder mystery
Amazon
The Monarchs
"A thought-provoking spiritual
quest" - Kirkus Reviews
Amazon
THE MERMELF
Mystery girl. Mermelves arrive
Dystopian rebellion begins
Amazon
Popina & Slumberina
Join in a Magical Journey of
Growth and Self Discovery
Amazon
The Ghost of Neil Diamond
A tribute artist scales
the Great Wall of China.
by David Milnes
VR,AR &AI in Special Education
Tech transforming special ed:
benefits, risks & apps
Amazon
DEAR JAMES
I know it's been 20 years, but
I needed to tell you I'm sorry
Amazon
Lines in the Sand
Edgy and isolating. A perfect
memoir of loss and endurance.
F. Scott Service
TAILS
A magical story children will
love; and probably adults too.
by WJ Scott
Glitching Souls - Steve Kenney
Neil can read minds...
He can't turn them off.
Amazon
Irish Famine Novel
My novel Hungry Trails
celebrates family resilience
Amazon
Lead the Competition
Read 100 Livestreaming &
Digital Media Predictions.
Amazon
Don't Look Too Tasty
Hungry aliens, missing
friends. Who can you trust?
Amazon
Terracolina-A Place to Belong
A fantasy to delight middle-
graders and nature lovers.
Amazon
THOSE DARN STRIPES
A genuine read opening the
doors on love, life, & meaning
Amazon
Sara My Sara
A moving tale of friendship,
loss, and the gifts of grief.
Amazon
NEW TRAILS
A queer portal fantasy of
magic, courage, and home
books2read
Shadow Apprentice
Fast-paced MG steampunk
with an intrepid girl mechanic
by Linda Browne
TEMPEST'S SECRET
Adorable cosy mystery
with a kitten for 7-9 yr olds
Amazon
A QUEST FOR HIDDEN THINGS
A cozy, coming-of-age
fantasy adventure
by Karen Eisenbrey
MINIMUM SAFE DISTANCE (2022)
NOT pro-US Sci-Fi
weltweite, profond, prisbelönt
by X. Ho Yen
Into the Thicket
Boy finds an injured rabbit
sparks heartfelt journey
Amazon
The Pond of Reflection
A Fantasy Adventure - Teamwork
Friendship & Self-Discovery
Amazon
WELCOME TO OPINE
Homo Sapiens 2.0: Will genetic
blessing be their undoing?
Amazon
REMEMBER THIS
Award-Winning
Spiritual Masterpiece
Truly life changing!
A Good Day and Other...
A wide-ranging collection
of imaginative, funny stories.
Amazon
Naked in the Now
What if presence felt like
being seduced by life?
Amazon
Sea Change by Nick Bamford
'A gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea'
nickbamford.com
Publishing Questions?
Find easy to understand
answers, top tips & more.
oldmatemedia
The Crooked Ladder
It's time to climb...
or die
Amazon
THEY'RE ALL BARKING
Springer Spaniel's eye-opening
view of human behaviour
Amazon
MILLIE'S RAINBOW
Beautiful picture book.
Kindness and rainbows.
by Hilary Hawkes
No Free Speech for Hate
Provocative, chilling, topical
and razor-sharp dystopia
by Stephen Ford
RAVEN'S GRAVE Charlotte Stuart
Betrayal and death in
an Alaskan Tlingit village.
Amazon
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Three minds. One body.
And nobody is safe.
Amazon
Playing Soldier
A savagely haunting true
journey of self-discovery.
F. Scott Service
The One Week Writing Workshop
7 Days to Spark, Boost
or Revive Your Novel
Amazon
Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
London to life in Washington
in a family of secrets
Amazon
Chronicles of MatiLou/PerryAnn
Through it all the girls work
to save Mother Earth.
Amazon
Dance Along
A curious cat, a magical
mirror & a world of twirls
Amazon
THE DARKWOLF SAGA (YA)
Embark on a harrowing journey
into fantasy and adventure.
Amazon
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Knitting, Friendship, Loss &
Healing in a Children's Story
Amazon
Mother To Elephants
A Beautiful Tale of
Care and Compassion
Amazon
AMAZING WORLD BENEATH THE
WAVES Satisfy your curiosity
about oceans
www.barnettauthor.co.uk
Rider of the Wind
An exultant celebration
of the magic of music
Amazon
The Other Side of Nowhere
A fast-paced page turner
southern gothic horror
by Jack Holt
The Graffiti Killer
A mind unhinged on
the fulcrum of our age.
by David Milnes
THE FOUNDLING
A foundling rises to
reclaim his stolen birthright
Amazon
Drop the Fake Smile
How to stop people-
pleasing in relationships
Amazon
If Roses Were Blue
A stolen dog, lady of
light, 3 rescues—Inspiring!
Amazon
SECRET SKY
Everybody wishes they could
fly - until it happens
books2read.com
Jemma and the Raven
A luminous adventure in
this epic YA fantasy debut
Amazon
TEMPEST AND THE BRIGHTON
TREASURE - A middle-grade
adventure children will love!
Amazon
RIVER WITCH
A haunting, emotional tale
of magic and purpose.
Amazon
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows, & humans
dying at Moonshine Mesa?
Amazon
Connecting Threads
A graphic memoir of
resilience and hope
Amazon



















































































































































































































































































































































































































































