Previous Finalists





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:

If you happen to be looking for a good read, the readers at The Wishing Shelf Awards thoroughly recommend the following:









Bigfoot is  a Jerk by J. Ditchburn Patton
Bigfoot is a Jerk
Author: J. Ditchburn Patton
Bob and the Real Dill by Laura Truepenny, Ben Humphreys
Bob and the Real Dill
Author: Laura Truepenny, Ben Humphreys
Cover Designer: Hazel Narbett
Growing up Hadley by Dana Harp
Growing up Hadley
Author: Dana Harp
I'm going to have a Brother by Laura Diebelius
I'm going to have a Brother
Author: Laura Diebelius
Cover Designer: Francesca Watt
Mummy has a Lump by Simone Baldwin
Mummy has a Lump
Author: Simone Baldwin
Now My Life is New by Satyam Chellan, Natasha Chellan
Now My Life is New
Author: Satyam Chellan, Natasha Chellan
Cover Designer: Yogesh Mahajan
Of Mountains And Seas by Emily Renk Hawthorne
Of Mountains And Seas
Author: Emily Renk Hawthorne
Professor Nincompoop by Jimmy Vee
Professor Nincompoop
Author: Jimmy Vee
Cover Designer: Ben Askew
Shadow Apprentice by Linda Browne
Shadow Apprentice
Author: Linda Browne
Tempest's Secret: Brave kids never give up by Ariane Chapelle
Tempest's Secret: Brave kids never give up
Author: Ariane Chapelle
Cover Designer: Macha Yao
The Grumpus Among Us by Sharon R. Miller
The Grumpus Among Us
Author: Sharon R. Miller
Cover Designer: Ashleigh Heyns
The Weight of Water by Dorothy Deene
The Weight of Water
Author: Dorothy Deene
The Worry Wrinkle by Corey Manny
The Worry Wrinkle
Author: Corey Manny
Unfurling the Sails by Sarah Branson
Unfurling the Sails
Author: Sarah Branson
What the Good Girl Knew by L B Anne
What the Good Girl Knew
Author: L B Anne

A Groundhog Career by Dr. Helmut Schuster and Dr. David Oxley
A Groundhog Career
Author: Dr. Helmut Schuster and Dr. David Oxley
Agnes Karapetsa is All at Sea by Jackie Watson
Agnes Karapetsa is All at Sea
Author: Jackie Watson
And So I Took Their Eyes by Ben C. Davies
And So I Took Their Eyes
Author: Ben C. Davies
Demons to Champions by Gary Coulton
Demons to Champions
Author: Gary Coulton
Home for the Bewildered by Michelle Tobin
Home for the Bewildered
Author: Michelle Tobin
Moving Forward: The Widow's Journey by Dr. Arlene Sacks
Moving Forward: The Widow's Journey
Author: Dr. Arlene Sacks
OMNIVIOLENCE by Jones Worthington
OMNIVIOLENCE
Author: Jones Worthington
One More Chance by Reno R. Mist
One More Chance
Author: Reno R. Mist
River of Wrath by Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor
River of Wrath
Author: Alexandrea Weis and Lucas Astor
Secrets of a Social Butterfly by Lynn Bruines
Secrets of a Social Butterfly
Author: Lynn Bruines
Splinter by D K Thorne
Splinter
Author: D K Thorne
Stellar Heir by Scott Killian
Stellar Heir
Author: Scott Killian
The Doctor's Future by Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli
The Doctor's Future
Author: Dr. Pietro Emanuele Garbelli
The Horrible Terribles by Diego Barrientos
The Horrible Terribles
Author: Diego Barrientos
The Magician's Daughter by Katy Grabel
The Magician's Daughter
Author: Katy Grabel
The Night Counsellor by L K Pang
The Night Counsellor
Author: L K Pang
The Shattered Truce by Donna Brown
The Shattered Truce
Author: Donna Brown
When I Know My Worth by Laura Linn Knight
When I Know My Worth
Author: Laura Linn Knight
Cover Designer: Paola Cifuentes
You Are Here by J D Turner
You Are Here
Author: J D Turner
Zambies by Matt J. Pike
Zambies
Author: Matt J. Pike



Sponsored Ads



Battle for Eklatros
Can Ànifa’s party save
Eklatros from the invasion?
Amazon


Truth Was Once Taboo
New humanity, ancient
wisdom: spirituality reborn.
Amazon


GRAVE SECRETS-Cassandra Aston
The dark fantasy you've
been waiting for
Amazon


My Year at the Good Bean Café
Weird and inexplicable events
and their effect on our lives
Amazon


Comfort in the Wings
A woman’s inspiring quest for
comfort and joy after grief
Amazon


JUST RIVER
Hilarious and grave.
A story of resilience.
Amazon


DEAR JAMES
I know it's been 20 years, but
I needed to tell you I'm sorry
Amazon


Little Puppy's Great Adventure
Adorable story. Great for
both parents as well as kids.
Amazon


RED CHAIR PRESS
Titles in Dyslexic and
/or Large Print editions
ReadHowYouWant


LIKE A HERO
Being a superhero WITHOUT
powers is never easy!
books2read


THE DARK PLACES NOVELS
Paranormal thrillers to
get your pulse racing
kimgravell.com


Prescription for Frozen Heart
Pride & Prejudice meets
Grey's Anatomy - medical rom.
by Jo-Anne Duffett


My Solo Wedding in Santorini
A true story. Honest,
thought-provoking & funny .
blogaboutl


Gollogans of Carrickgollogan
An exciting woodland
adventure story for 7-9s
Amazon


Into The Shadows
Journey from naïve university
student to a great spy.
marinemoments.uk


Millie’s Magic
The little mouse
with a big heart.
Amazon


Clouds on the Ground
Poems exploring natural beauty
and the realm of dreams
Amazon


Changing Tide
A Thrilling First
Contact Novel
www.cougarproductions.com


Guiding Kids Through Anger
Parenting chaos
meets humor therapy
Amazon


Sea Change by Nick Bamford
'A gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea'
nickbamford.com


TEMPEST AND THE BRIGHTON
TREASURE - A middle-grade
adventure children will love!
Amazon


Nemesis Rising
"Survival comes with a cost
for Sam …his humanity."
Amazon


Forever Boy
Isaac comes to realize his new
friend harbors dark secrets.
books2read


Children Who Dance in the Rain
A children's book about
gratitude and self-discovery.
Amazon


Book Love
YOUNG READERS become
WORLD LEADERS
Lorilyn Roberts


Misty Black Media, LLC
Get your picture book designed
& formatted by a professional
www.mistyblackauthor.com


Dinosaur Symphony
A Guide to Dinosaurs
and Classical Music
Amazon


S.O.S. by Sue C Dugan
An exciting, time-travel
adventure for middle graders
Amazon


I FEEL YOUR STARE
An Autobiography
BOOK AWARD WINNER!
Amazon


Angry Arthur
and The Run Around Trick
Learn to manage big feelings
Amazon


Me and My Shadow
Honest reflection how cancer
took a boy to death’s door.
Amazon


THE PHILOSOPHER & THE ASSASSIN
campus novel, moral
philosophy, and murder mystery
Amazon


I Never Said I Love You
A story of travel, friendship,
forgiveness, & roads not taken
Amazon


A Rage To Live
A true boys' coming of age
story set during the Holocaust
Amazon


More Future Dreams/Nightmares
Award-winning SF short
stories of AIs and robots.
Donald Firesmith


THE BOOK
Earth will be fine, humanity
is on track for annihilation!
Amazon


BUILDING THE BEAST
Building a home-on-wheels
with zero blueprint.
Amazon


CALM POND
TOP 10 BOOK - 9 short stories
for 5 - 9 year olds
Amazon


The Lost Heir Book 1 and 2
Mash Princess Bride
+ dash of GOT
Amazon


The Day After His Crucifixion
At last the women speak,
deepening Yeshua's story.
Amazon


No Death in Finding Nemo
Stories of mundane lives which
change in surprising ways
www.jeffreyfeingold.com


The Collective Consciousness
Embark on a journey into the
depths of the human spirit!
Amazon


HUNGRY TRAILS
‘A…culturally rich family
chronicle.’ Kirkus Review
Amazon


From The Back of a Donkey
Fresh captivating look at the
Christmas Story told by Mary
by Nancy Elaine Hartman Minor


A Misfortunate Misfit
Incredible true story of a
man saving his own life
Amazon


SOUL WALK
Unexpected Gifts of Grief and
Connection to Those in Spirit
Amazon


Life with psychopathic brother
A quirky philosophical novel
about forgiveness.
linnaspen.com


LOOK AWAY NO MORE
A story rich in history & love
at a Georgia college in 1970.
Amazon


SONG FOR MY FATHER
"A gripping drama...a FINALIST
and highly recommended." TWSA
Amazon


Confidently Mindful
Answers to your most asked
mindfulness questions.
Amazon


Selfish Shellfish & Sick Sea
An environmental gem for the
age. Get your copy at:
theprolificword.com


SKY ICE
Demon hunters. Slow-burn
romance. Hidden world.
Amazon


Chronicles of MatiLou/PerryAnn
Through it all the girls work
to save Mother Earth.
Amazon


The Faraway Mountains
A memorable novel about
growing up under dictatorship
Amazon


A Novel about Life...and death
Will a mom's superhuman
efforts save her family?
Amazon/Apple





The One Week Writing Workshop
7 Days to Spark, Boost
or Revive Your Novel
Amazon


The Toad from Outer Space
A cautionary tale about a
toad-ily historic space flight
www.childrensfunnybooks.co.uk


Lead the Competition
Read 100 Livestreaming &
Digital Media Predictions.
Amazon


CALM POND
TOP 10 BOOK - 9 short stories
for 5 - 9 year olds
Amazon