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

The Adventures of Mrs. Crockess and Ivy: No Pockets? No Problem!
Author: Julia Kolouch
Illustrator: Petros Bouloubasis

A Kindness Story for Kids! Rane's Rescue The SPRiTELEES - Book One
Author: Marcia Stankard
Performed by: Kate Sample

A Wild Ride: The Adventures of Misty & Moxie Wyoming, Book 1
Author: Niki Danforth
Performed by: Erin Parker

Miss Pettigrew's Summer School for Exceptional Magical Children
Author: P.N. Garlick
Performed by: Denice Stradling

The Secret of the Magic eyePad: Putney Hicks Inventor Adventures, Book 1
Author: Marsha Tufft
Performed by: JoAnn Sheridan

Excuse Me: Dyslexic Inclusive (Life's Little Lessons From The Countryside Companions)
Author: Diane Hull
Cover Designer: Jeannie Duncanson
A Manner of Art by D. L. Gardner
A Sailor's Final Knot by Patricia McCandless
Any Younger by Chris Orland
Commanding the Cleanest Space Station by Jessica Kaye
Dustoff Down by Linda Naughton
Flashes of You by Lamar D. Vine
No Mead in Heaven? by Stephanie Shields
OH OH OH by Ken Deeprose
The Bird Lady of Novato by William C. Pollard, Jr
The Dreidel by Elisabeth Marrion
The Drowned Dockworker by Kevin Berry
The Horned Women by Christy Matheson
The King, Lady Killer and the Virgin by Mark Sheehan
The Last Tree by Nathaniel M Wrey
The Victorious Son of the Baggage King by Robbie Mahair
Warrior by Niki Danforth
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.
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Connecting Threads
A graphic memoir of
resilience and hope
Amazon
SIN EATER
A girl with the power to
erase ANY bad memory!
Amazon
CALM POND
TOP 10 BOOK - 9 short stories
for 5 - 9 year olds
Amazon
Little Puppy's Great Adventure
Adorable story. Great for
both parents as well as kids.
Amazon
A Mixing Colour Adventure
Colour mixing, teamwork &
perseverance for 3 - 7 yr olds
Amazon
Down to Earth
A practical guide to using
intuition for smarter living.
Amazon
SOUTH KOREA
A nuanced & engaging analysis
of Korea's rise to prominence.
Amazon
Losing Austin
A gripping drama for teens
full of suspense & mystery
Amazon
Drop the Fake Smile
How to stop people-
pleasing in relationships
Amazon
THE WAY OF WATER
Brilliant YA Fantasy with
Magic, Mystery & Romance
Amazon
Playing Soldier
A savagely haunting true
journey of self-discovery.
F. Scott Service
HABITAT MAN
Midlife crisis meets eco-
fiction in heartwarming romcom
Amazon
Tally and the Angel
Unstoppable middle-grade
adventures around the world!
by Eleanor Dixon
Pure Ink Press
Quality partnership publisher
open for submissions
Pure Ink Press
THE FISH TANK - short stories
NARRATIVES ABOUT LIFE, EXILE,
GHOSTS…AND MURDER.
books2read
SEA CHANGE
Gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea
Nick Bamford
FALSE NEUTRAL
One chance to finally
make sense of it all.
Amazon
THE FOUNDLING
A foundling rises to
reclaim his stolen birthright
Amazon
WHINGEY WILLIAMS Term 1
Follow Whingey on her FIRST
adventure on Gower
Amazon
SOUTH KOREA
Where old traditions and
modern change collide.
by John Gonzalez
The Gates of Dark Death
A gripping, faced-pace,
Tudor-period thriller
by Alan Reynolds
Building The Beast:
The Comic Memoir
of a Crazy Idea!
Amazon
The Book of Wisdom-ish
Adventure begins with
a book. And an A.
Amazon
Escape From Peconic Bay
A fast-paced, historical novel
set during the run up to WW2
books2read
The Day After His Crucifixion
Jesus' women followers
finally tell their stories
by Merikay McLeod
From The Back of a Donkey
Multi-award winning. A
captivating look at Christmas.
by Nancy Elaine Hartman Minor
The Shadow of the Volcano
A thrilling 'time travel'
adventure for 7 - 13 yr olds.
Amazon
Publishing Questions?
Find easy to understand
answers, top tips & more.
oldmatemedia
Book Love
YOUNG READERS become
WORLD LEADERS
Lorilyn Roberts
Millie’s Magic
The little mouse
with a big heart.
Amazon
Chronicles of MatiLou/PerryAnn
Through it all the girls work
to save Mother Earth.
Amazon
Smurgle The Windy Dragon
By Jane Clack, ill. by Lucy
Nicholson. A FUN PICTURE BOOK!
Amazon
Out of the Darkness...
A memoir of animal
connections, love, and healing
books2read.com
DRAGONDAH
The Secret Legacy
of Ottillee Bottomly
Amazon
THE SOCIETY
Elizabeth Grant Thriller-woman
embroiled in a conspiracy
Amazon
LEGACY
A character-driven sci-fi/
fantasy with a twisting plot.
Amazon
KEEPERS OF THE ROCK
THE DEBILIS RISING-YA Fantasy
Seize the rock. Rule the world
Amazon
Don't Look Too Tasty
Hungry aliens, missing
friends. Who can you trust?
Amazon
Esme and Griswald
A WITCH in search of a
POTION to save her PRINCE
Amazon
Shadow Apprentice
Fast-paced MG steampunk
with an intrepid girl mechanic
by Linda Browne
The Crooked Ladder
It's time to climb...
or die
Amazon
It Rains in February
A wife's memoir of love,
suicide, grief and loss
Amazon
THE MUTT FOR ME
Heartwarming memoir of
healing & second chances
by Don Hughes
TALE OF THE ENGLISH TEMPLAR
Resistance to tyranny starts
with an act of compassion
by Helena P Schrader
The Faraway Mountains
A memorable novel about
growing up under dictatorship
Amazon
BOBBIN AND THE MAGIC THIEF
A broken rule. A stolen
friend. A faerie rescue.
books2read
RAVEN'S GRAVE Charlotte Stuart
Betrayal and death in
an Alaskan Tlingit village.
Amazon
ARNI'S ADVENTURES
8 charming, silly, comic
stories to laugh at & enjoy.
Amazon
THE MALLARD MELODRAMAS
A captivating series of
Victorian Mysteries
by RJ Williams
MERCY'S VIEW: BLACKOUT
Memoir - A runaway's reckless
re-entry into society
Amazon
Gigglet Goes to School
Get your giggle on with
Gigglet. Perfect for 0 - 6 yrs
AMB Kids Books
HENRY
Inspiring WWII Nonfiction
survival account
Amazon
GOING TO MEET DAD
A playful and sensitive tale
about braving the unknown
by Kathleen Nord Heinz
DAUGHTER OF SPIES
Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
A FINALIST in TWSA
Amazon
Fenix and the Firework Fliers
Can Fenix save the Fireworks
when a firefly gets sick?
creativemovementstories.com
CALM POND
TOP 10 BOOK - 9 short stories
for 5 - 9 year olds
Amazon
Tales Beyond Midnight
Dark, twisty and gripping.
You'll never stop at one.
by Kim Gravell
Half a Faerie
A disgraced rockstar falls for
a half-faerie single mom.
by Toni Cabell
FIREWORKS
Anthology of quirky, cosy
fantasy and sci-fi tales
by Paul Olding


















































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































