Finalists 2026
Below is a list of the 2026 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, 2027.
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:
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A First Book of Microbiology
A fun learning journey
down the microscope lens.
Amazon
The Gemini Connection
An intriguing thriller that
will keep you hooked.
Amazon
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Knitting, Friendship, Loss &
Healing in a Children's Story
Amazon
The Bride's Trunk
A gripping true story of
Anglo-German reconciliation
Amazon
Escape From Peconic Bay
A fast-paced, historical novel
set during the run up to WW2
books2read
THE SOCIETY
Elizabeth Grant Thriller-woman
embroiled in a conspiracy
Amazon
MILLIE'S RAINBOW
Beautiful picture book.
Kindness and rainbows.
by Hilary Hawkes
A Good Day and Other...
A wide-ranging collection
of imaginative, funny stories.
Amazon
Smurgle The Windy Dragon
By Jane Clack, ill. by Lucy
Nicholson. A FUN PICTURE BOOK!
Amazon
Destiny Lives on Fairhaven St.
A father's true story to his
sons. Winner of 17 awards.
Amazon
AMAZING WORLD BENEATH THE
WAVES Satisfy your curiosity
about oceans
www.barnettauthor.co.uk
The Lonely Lighthouse Bogle
A quirky tale celebrating
the magic of friendship.
Amazon
The Book Witch
A thrilling, fast paced
fantasy book for MGs
Amazon
RAVEN'S GRAVE Charlotte Stuart
Betrayal and death in
an Alaskan Tlingit village.
Amazon
DOWN TO EARTH
Master the art of combining
logic with intuition
Amazon
JUST RIVER
Hilarious and grave.
A story of resilience.
Amazon
S.O.S. by Sue C Dugan
An exciting, time-travel
adventure for middle graders
Amazon
The Stranger of Ul Darak BK 1
A new intriguing epic
high fantasy series
sceston.com
Momma Llama World
Free coloring sheets,
animated stories & more.
Meet Momma Llama
Mirrors & Smoke: A War of 1812
'A smartly plotted, character
novel set in 1800s Canada' WSA
Amazon/Audible
WAYS TO BE EQUALLY HUMAN
A deep dive into being non-
binary,climate activism & love
by Leslie Tate
50 SECRETS NOBODY TELLS YOU IN
IN HOLLYWOOD Helping actors
avoid pitfalls & find success
Amazon
Churchill’s Secret Army
WW2 courage and sacrifice
in the undercover SOE
www.cloudshillpress.com
Truth Was Once Taboo
New humanity, ancient
wisdom: spirituality reborn.
Amazon
Losing Austin
A gripping drama for teens
full of suspense & mystery
Amazon
The Gates of Dark Death
A gripping, faced-pace,
Tudor-period thriller
by Alan Reynolds
Lead the Competition
Read 100 Livestreaming &
Digital Media Predictions.
Amazon
The Cup of Christ Trilogy
Epic mystical thriller across
centuries! A must!!!
by Jack Holt
Sara My Sara
A moving tale of friendship,
loss, and the gifts of grief.
Amazon
DRAGONDAH
The Secret Legacy
of Ottillee Bottomly
Amazon
THE CURIST
Abby Steel hunts an evil
killer. Can he be caught?
Amazon
TALE OF THE ENGLISH TEMPLAR
Resistance to tyranny starts
with an act of compassion
by Helena P Schrader
AT RECEPTION
Will Sally fall for the charms
of a guest? ADULT FICTION
by Galahad Porter
Plea to a Frozen God
A desperate trio appeals
to the God of Death.
Amazon
Popina & Slumberina
Join in a Magical Journey of
Growth and Self Discovery
Amazon
The Shadow Deception
Can a pranking pixie and a
grumpy angel save the world?
Amazon
The Broken Wife
A gripping tale of love,
loss, and BETRAYAL.
Amazon
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Steve's 2 other personalities
wreak havoc all around him
Amazon
THE UNBROKEN
Love and adventure in
the strange worlds of mind.
Nigel Peace
Angry Arthur
and The Run Around Trick
Learn to manage big feelings
Amazon
MUPPIT BOY - ALLERGIES OF EVIL
"Suspense-filled, humor-filled
adventure for 9 – 12s" TWSA
by Michael J. Bowler
TAILS
A magical story children will
love; and probably adults too.
by WJ Scott
BELIEVING IN HORSES
Ride away with the
Believing in Horses books!
Amazon
DISCOVER YOUR NEXT INDIE
OBSESSION - Find & follow
indie books you'll love.
INDIEGUANA
FIELDS OF PROSPERIS
"Bingeable space opera, best
complex villains"-ARK Watson
Amazon
Terracolina-A Place to Belong
Magic & wonder collide
in this bold MG adventure
by Carla Kessler
REMEMBER THIS
Award-Winning
Spiritual Masterpiece
Truly life changing!
NEW TRAILS
A queer portal fantasy of
magic, courage, and home
books2read
MaryLou
"An engaging, well-crafted
family drama" TWSA
Amazon
The Book of Jack
Candid and inspiring story of
coming to terms with suicide.
F. Scott Service
THE TIFFIN
Lost tiffin. Note gone astray.
A boy's search for family.
Amazon
Arni's Adventures
Pet dinosaur, bear, cat story
for the young reader.
Ashok
Bentley's Fantabulous Idea
Embark on a whimsical colorful
journey filled with fun
MikiTaylor
FIREWORKS
Anthology of quirky, cosy
fantasy and sci-fi tales
by Paul Olding
BEHIND BULLETPROOF GLASS
A raw memoir about
pregnancy loss and grief
Amazon
Aunty Jane Knits Up A Storm
Knitting, Friendship, Loss &
Healing in a Children's Story
Amazon
Soar: A Soul's Quest
A young eagle on a quest of
self-discovery & enlightenment
Amazon
A First Book of Microbiology
A fun learning journey
down the microscope lens.
Amazon
Secrets of a Social Butterfly
How I unstuck my life
and you can too.
Lynn Bruines