
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
The Last Lumenian
Most princesses need saving.
This one saves you.
Amazon
The Great Billy Butlin Race
First and only footrace from
John O’Groats to Land’s End
Stairwellbooks
THE TRALL SERIES
Middle-grade portal
fantasies set in Australia.
by Gayle Torrens
THE PORTAL KEEPER
Enter a world of Fantastic
Creatures and Magic!
books2read
The Crooked Ladder
It's time to climb...
or die
Amazon
The Devil has Spoken
2020: The Devil has created a
virus that won't discriminate
Everand
Sprout's Surprise!
A humorous story with
a gentle ecofriendly message
Amazon
Pebbles and the Biggest Number
A butterfly’s quest to
find the largest number
Amazon
Ghoul of Sherwood
Robin Hood and his men solve
a grisly murder near a nunnery
Amazon
A Good Day and Other...
A wide-ranging collection
of imaginative, funny stories.
Amazon
Secrets of The Sealed Forest
Magic awakens in this
modern fantasy adventure.
Amazon
Wild Atlantic Way Anthology
Characters along Ireland’s
Majestic Coast
Amazon
Angry Arthur
and The Run Around Trick
Learn to manage big feelings
Amazon
DANCE STANCE
"Highly recommended! A truly
excellent book" Wishing Shelf
bookshop.org
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Knitting, Friendship, Loss &
Healing in a Children's Story
Amazon
The Lost Heir Book 1 and 2
Mash Princess Bride
+ dash of GOT
Amazon
You're Gone
Meet Arthur: Widower, Son,
Brother, Friend, Murderer.
Amazon
RAVEN'S GRAVE Charlotte Stuart
Betrayal and death in
an Alaskan Tlingit village.
Amazon
The Gemini Connection
An intriguing thriller that
will keep you hooked.
Amazon
DAUGHTER OF SPIES
Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
A FINALIST in TWSA
Amazon
A Voice from Heaven
Astounding secrets of life,
death, love and spirituality
wingsofpeacepress.com
Soul Release
An epic fantasy action
adventure in a world of magic.
Amazon
SIN EATER
A girl with the power to
erase ANY bad memory!
Amazon
THE BOOK
Earth will be fine, humanity
is on track for annihilation!
Amazon
Samurai's Gift Among Forest
A grieving child's journey
to healing her spirit.
books2read
Exclusion Zone
The VORKOSIGAN SAGA
meets DIE HARD.
Amazon
Crossing Borders
American memoir on prospects
for peace in Palestine/Israel
christabruhn.com
The Woodsman
A 5* serial killer thriller
on Kindle and Unlimited
Amazon
LADY REAPER
Disorderly ghosts. Dejected
fays. Dreadful elves.
books2read.com
The Secrets of Hawthorne House
An unlikely friendship, clash
of cultures, and hidden magic
Amazon
2024... Your Year of More
is a meaningful self-help
book for wise readers.
Amazon
CREATIVE NONFICTION CONTEST
$1000 prize & publication.
Open internationally.
VINE LEAVES PRESS
Bentley's Fantabulous Idea
Embark on a whimsical colorful
journey filled with fun
MikiTaylor
Around the Globe
The Adventures of Squishy
and Boo, Book 3
Amazon
THE LIGHTNESS OF WATER
"A refined fantasy adventure”
- Silver Medal, TWSA
books2read.com
Lucy Wants To go To School
Perfect for apprehensive
children starting school
Amazon
THE DARK PLACES NOVELS
Paranormal thrillers to
get your pulse racing
kimgravell.com
The Book of Wisdom-ish
Adventure begins with
a book. And an A.
Amazon
THE PEBBLE CHAMPION
A stirring tale
of sadness and self-discovery.
Amazon
The Boy and the Big White Rock
'...rewarding memoir of coming
of age in the 1960s.' KIRKUS
Barnes and Noble
S.O.S. by Sue C Dugan
An exciting, time-travel
adventure for middle graders
Amazon
Marco & Me
Stories & photos of the
adventures of a real dog
Amazon
A First Book of Microbiology
A fun learning journey
down the microscope lens.
Amazon
DON'T DOUBT THE RAINBOW series
Crime-busting teen
detective adventures!
www.crownhouse.co.uk
Church of the Assassin
A brutal purge. A reason
to live. A reason to kill.
Amazon
SEA CHANGE
Gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea
Nick Bamford
The Puppet Maker's Daughter
Marika protects her family &
orphaned children from Nazis.
Amazon
Memoir of Millennial Caregiver
A story of caregiving, loss,
and acceptance of the unknown.
Amazon
Look 'N Up Invasion
A clever mix of fantasy,
family drama & cultural debate
Goodreads
Tuskie’s Travels
Tuskie teaches his crew to
dissolve upsets in 30 seconds!
www.thekidcode.ca
A Portion of Malice
A thought-provoking thrill
ride into the apocalypse
Amazon
Tatiana and the Russian Wolves
A Russian émigré reconciles
tragic family secrets
www.stephenevansjordan.com
The Nephilem
A Sun-soaked setting
with a difference.
www.exquil.com
Epistolary
Mandy writes about her
life until tragedy strikes.
Amazon
CATNIP
Cosy mystery with catnapping,
murder and a dash of romance.
Amazon
Arctic Dinosaurs
Her first Arctic year -
middle grade - free activities
Fathom Publishing
GRAVE SECRETS-Cassandra Aston
The dark fantasy you've
been waiting for
Amazon
Church of the Assassin
A brutal purge. A reason
to live. A reason to kill.
Amazon
The Eye of Nineveh (thriller)
They found a gem powered by
the gods. Now, it´s vanished.
Amazon