Finalists 2025
Below is a list of the 2025 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, 2026.
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
- Adult/Children's Poetry
If you happen to be looking for a good read, the readers at The Wishing Shelf Awards thoroughly recommend the following:
Excuse Me: Dyslexic Inclusive (Life's Little Lessons From The Countryside Companions)
Author: Diane Hull
Cover Designer: Jeannie Duncanson
Sponsored Ads
A SQUEAKY TOY, A LEASH, AND
A PRAYER Mom's Choice Awards
GOLD - for dog loving families
Amazon
Dislodged
“An LGBTQ+ thriller and a
tale for the working class…â€
Amazon
Ruby the Emotional Stingray
Handling emotions for kids.
BEDTIME STORY
Amazon
BELIEVING IN HORSES
Ride away with the
Believing in Horses books!
Amazon
The Silence of Children
An accidental vigilante with
no superhero skills
Amazon
BEHIND THE PICKLE JAR
A fun, relatable,
emotionally powerful read!
Amazon
TWO LEFT WINGS - Safety Averse
4 kids - heart-warming / funny
friendship and self-growth
Amazon
The Great Migration
Survive valley. Stop outbreak.
Or watch the kingdom burn.
Amazon
Jemma and the Raven
A luminous adventure in
this epic YA fantasy debut
Amazon
Literary Historical Fiction
Karma and horses drive one
family through 2500 Years.
Amazon
“Later,†Said Gator
Encourage kids to clean up
in a positive, fun way!
Amazon
Out of the Darkness...
A memoir of animal
connections, love, and healing
books2read.com
Sophia and Sinclair Get Lost!
A rabbit and a turtle get
lost in a hay maze!
Amazon
BURT, THE AIRPORT CAT
Follow Burt, the black cat,
on a fun family adventure
Amazon
Clouds on the Ground
Poems exploring natural beauty
and the realm of dreams
Amazon
GRAVE SECRETS-Cassandra Aston
The dark fantasy you've
been waiting for
Amazon
The Shadow Deception
Can a pranking pixie and a
grumpy angel save the world?
Amazon
PWF for Women 40+
Paranormal Women's Fiction -
NEW SERIES!
books2read.com
Look 'N Up Invasion
Celebrate diversity by
imagining a world without it.
looknup.us
Forever Boy
Isaac comes to realize his new
friend harbors dark secrets.
books2read
The Girl Who Looked Beyond...
13 yrs old. How can she have
a destiny to save the world?
Amazon
Naked in the Now
What if presence felt like
being seduced by life?
Amazon
Life with psychopathic brother
A quirky philosophical novel
about forgiveness.
linnaspen.com
Sam & Me & the Hard Pear Tree
A personal account of
a mother’s ultimate loss
Amazon
THE PEBBLE CHAMPION
A stirring tale
of sadness and self-discovery.
Amazon
Look 'N Up Invasion
A clever mix of fantasy,
family drama & cultural debate
Goodreads
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Loss & healing through friend-
ship knitting and community.
Amazon
Memoir of Millennial Caregiver
A story of caregiving, loss,
and acceptance of the unknown.
Amazon
Confidently Mindful
Answers to your most asked
mindfulness questions.
Amazon
DAUGHTER OF SPIES
Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
A FINALIST in TWSA
Amazon
The Third Estate
WHEN THE TRUTH SURFACES
AND THE LIES are REVEALED
Amazon
From Patriarchy to Paradise
The script is flipped:
Women steer back to garden.
expandjoy
Truth Was Once Taboo
New humanity, ancient
wisdom: spirituality reborn.
Amazon
THE MERMELF
Mystery girl. Mermelves arrive
Dystopian rebellion begins
Amazon
“Hatch Chile Willie”
offers children a heartwarming
tale of friendship
Amazon
The Book of Wisdom-ish
Adventure begins with
a book. And an A.
Amazon
Children of the Realm
Girl finds mythical origins
in YA urban fantasy
Amazon
EVERKNIGHT
A Heroic Journey of
Uncompromising Honor
Amazon
In Other Words, Poetic Journey
Explore life through the eyes
of a tireless wanderer
Amazon
THE GREAT MOSQUITO HUNT
Hunting the world for
the causes of disease
Amazon
NUDGES FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Must-read for those who grieve
or curious about the afterlife
Amazon
The Accidental Boyfriend
Slightly steamy, fake dating,
celebrity young adult romcom
lorifreeland
In the Shadows of Castles
A story of love, hope and
survival in a time of war.
Amazon
RIVER WITCH
A haunting, emotional tale
of magic and purpose.
Amazon
THE FOUNDLING
A foundling rises to
reclaim his stolen birthright
Amazon
Pebbles and the Biggest Number
A butterfly’s quest to
find the largest number
Amazon
Girl & the Lock on Her Heart
An empowering book to
ignite everyone’s self love.
Amazon
Portraits of a Pandemic
The story of how a microscopic
virus changed our lives.
Amazon
Sneaky Snobby by Jennifer Kvam
LOOK OUT! Making trouble is
Sneaky Snobby´s hobby!
Amazon
RAIN FALLING ON EMBERS
A grieving, fish out of water
teen struggles to survive.
KatieMcCabeSeries.com
Bentley's Fantabulous Idea
Embark on a whimsical colorful
journey filled with fun
MikiTaylor
Oscar and Friends...
will help you along, sharing
a world where everyone belongs
mollyarbuthnott
Fenix and the Firework Fliers
Can Fenix save the Fireworks
when a firefly gets sick?
creativemovementstories.com
WELCOME TO OPINE
Homo Sapiens 2.0: Will genetic
blessing be their undoing?
Amazon
DANCE STANCE
"Highly recommended! A truly
excellent book" Wishing Shelf
bookshop.org
Alphamind
Embark on a journey into the
depths of the human spirit!
Amazon
Children of the Knight
When the children rise,
will the city fall?
Amazon
Ruby the Emotional Stingray
Handling emotions for kids.
BEDTIME STORY
Amazon
The One Week Writing Workshop
7 Days to Spark, Boost
or Revive Your Novel
Amazon