
Finalists 2024
Below is a list of the 2024 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, 2025.
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:
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.

Red Ribbon
'They're All Barking,' A Dog's Guide to Human Behaviour
Author: Professor Daniel Springer-Spaniel

Red Ribbon
Sweet Peas and Bees: Life at the Flower Farm
Author: Mary Murphy
Illustrator: Fiona Van Housen

Red Ribbon
Wanderer's Journey: A Refugee's Search for a Home in the Beautiful Game Author
Author: Vedran Dedic
Sponsored Ads
Meet the Snozzeralls
Fun & Educational
Kids Picture Book
Amazon
Arctic Dinosaurs
Her first Arctic year -
middle grade - free activities
Fathom Publishing
The Boy and the Jaguar
A magical Mayan tale
for middle-grade readers.
Amazon
Secrets of a Social Butterfly
How I unstuck my life
and you can too.
Lynn Bruines
CATNIP
Cosy mystery with catnapping,
murder and a dash of romance.
Amazon
Literary Historical Fiction
Karma and horses drive one
family through 2500 Years.
Amazon
The Devil has Spoken
2020: The Devil has created a
virus that won't discriminate
Everand
Wild Atlantic Way Anthology
Characters along Ireland’s
Majestic Coast
Amazon
Nantucket Monsters
Island monsters on the sly,
live in the corner your eye
B. LAWSON HULL
Of Mountains and Seas
A multigenerational urban
fantasy mystery.
Amazon
The Shadow and the Scream
Stranger Things meets
Alice in Wonderland.
Amazon
When Secrets Come to Light
A novel of love, mystery
friendships, and murder
www.georgerhopkins.com
DRAGONDAH (9 - 12 year olds)
Solving ancient mysteries and
outwitting scheming villains!
Amazon
SOUTH KOREA
A nuanced & engaging analysis
of Korea's rise to prominence.
Amazon
THE FISH TANK - short stories
NARRATIVES ABOUT LIFE, EXILE,
GHOSTS…AND MURDER.
books2read
HUNGRY TRAILS
‘A…culturally rich family
chronicle.’ Kirkus Review
Amazon
The Monarchs
"A thought-provoking spiritual
quest" - Kirkus Reviews
Amazon
Memoir of Millennial Caregiver
A story of caregiving, loss,
and acceptance of the unknown.
Amazon
MUMMY TRUMPS
A rhyming flatulent book that
is fun for all of the family.
Amazon
Sibby's Secret
Heart-stopping adventure
for our detective Buccaneers
Amazon
“Hatch Chile Willie”
offers children a heartwarming
tale of friendship
Amazon
Sam & Me & the Hard Pear Tree
A personal account of
a mother’s ultimate loss
Amazon
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows &
humans dying at the Mesa?
Amazon
My Year at the Good Bean Cafe
A riveting tale of unlikely
and inexplicable events.
Amazon
It Rains in February
A wife's memoir of love,
suicide, grief and loss
Amazon
The One Week Writing Workshop
7 Days to Spark, Boost
or Revive Your Novel
Karin Adams
An Enemy Like Me
A story not only of war but of
love & what we will do for it.
Amazon
The Last Lumenian
Most princesses need saving.
This one saves you.
Amazon
Truth Was Once Taboo
New humanity, ancient
wisdom: spirituality reborn.
Amazon
Destiny Lives on Fairhaven St.
A father's true story to his
sons. Winner of 17 awards.
Amazon
Ruby the Emotional Stingray
Handling emotions for kids.
BEDTIME STORY
Amazon
Pure Ink Press
Quality partnership publisher
open for submissions
Pure Ink Press
Fenix and the Firework Fliers
Can Fenix save the Fireworks
when a firefly gets sick?
creativemovementstories.com
Your Words Your Love
A dazzling explosion
of beauty for your soul.
books2read
The Stress Book
STRESS MANAGEMENT & PREVENTION
BOOK, WINNER OF 40+ AWARDS
Amazon
THE JEWEL OF WENZLO
An epic conflict
between rodent kings
Amazon
The Silence of Children
An accidental vigilante with
no superhero skills
Amazon
Escape From Peconic Bay
A fast-paced, historical novel
set during the run up to WW2
books2read
THE SOCIETY
A NATION is on the brink...
Only 1 woman can stop it
Amazon
JUST RIVER
Hilarious and grave.
A story of resilience.
Amazon
MATTER PRESS
Compressed fiction
with a bang
Matter Press
CREATIVE NONFICTION CONTEST
$1000 prize & publication.
Open internationally.
VINE LEAVES PRESS
Battle for Eklatros
Can Ànifa’s party save
Eklatros from the invasion?
Amazon
THE GREAT MOSQUITO HUNT
Hunting the world for
the causes of disease
Amazon
Selfish Shellfish & Sick Sea
An environmental gem for the
age. Get your copy at:
theprolificword.com
Clifftop Farm in Wartime
A story of WW2
evacuated children
Amazon
EVERKNIGHT
A Heroic Journey of
Uncompromising Honor
Amazon
THE UNBROKEN
Love and adventure in
the strange worlds of mind.
Nigel Peace
I FEEL YOUR STARE
An Autobiography by Cheryl
Gillespie - Book Award Winner!
Amazon
Return to Vienna
How SOE worked to free
Austria from Hitler's grip
Amazon
BEHIND THE PICKLE JAR
A fun, relatable,
emotionally powerful read!
Amazon
DON'T DOUBT THE RAINBOW series
Crime-busting teen
detective adventures!
www.crownhouse.co.uk
GRAVE SECRETS-Cassandra Aston
The dark fantasy you've
been waiting for
Amazon
THE DARK PLACES NOVELS
Paranormal thrillers to
get your pulse racing
kimgravell.com
2024... Your Year of More
is a meaningful self-help
book for wise readers.
Amazon
DEAR JAMES
I know it's been 20 years, but
I needed to tell you I'm sorry
Amazon
CATNIP
Cosy mystery with catnapping,
murder and a dash of romance.
Amazon
A Mixing Colour Adventure
Colour mixing, teamwork &
perseverance for 3 - 7 yr olds
Amazon
Little Puppy's Great Adventure
Adorable story. Great for
both parents as well as kids.
Amazon