Winners 2026
Below is a list of the 2026 WINNERS 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.
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
- Category 12: 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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THE JEWEL OF WENZLO
An epic conflict
between rodent kings
Amazon
1066 WHAT FATES IMPOSE
An epic struggle for
the English Crown
by G. K. Holloway
WAYS TO BE EQUALLY HUMAN
A deep dive into being non-
binary,climate activism & love
by Leslie Tate
Pause... and Effect
A sun-kissed journey through
menopause and beyond.
Amazon
The Shadow and the Scream
Stranger Things meets
Alice in Wonderland.
Amazon
Into the Thicket
Boy finds an injured rabbit
sparks heartfelt journey
Amazon
The Princess and the Spy
A witty and heartfelt
YA fantasy mystery
Amazon
Destiny Lives on Fairhaven St.
A father's true story to his
sons. Winner of 17 awards.
Amazon
Churchill’s Secret Army
WW2 courage and sacrifice
in the undercover SOE
www.cloudshillpress.com
The Broken Wife
A gripping tale of love,
loss, and BETRAYAL.
Amazon
THE WORD GOBBLERS
A handbook for parents whose
children struggle to read
by Catherine Matthias
Story and Structure
A book on story: 'beats Joseph
Campbell at his own game.'
Amazon
THE PORTAL KEEPER
Enter a world of Fantastic
Creatures and Magic!
books2read
The Bride's Trunk
A gripping true story of
Anglo-German reconciliation
Amazon
BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE THINGS
A NOVEL. Award-winning story
of social justice & friendship
Amazon
Connecting Threads
A graphic memoir of
resilience and hope
Amazon
Irish Famine Novel
My novel Hungry Trails
celebrates family resilience
Amazon
The Pathology of Graphology
Two citizens of the lower
depths kill an aging DJ.
by David Milnes
No Free Speech for Hate
Provocative, chilling, topical
and razor-sharp dystopia
by Stephen Ford
HABITAT MAN
Midlife crisis meets eco-
fiction in heartwarming romcom
Amazon
WHERE DO BEARS SLEEP?
Bedtime for Animals & Children
Illustrated Songbook
by Chris Meade
AT RECEPTION
Will Sally fall for the charms
of a guest? ADULT FICTION
by Galahad Porter
TAILS
A magical story children will
love; and probably adults too.
by WJ Scott
TEMPEST'S SECRET
Adorable cosy mystery
with a kitten for 7-9 yr olds
Amazon
The Coach Trip
A light- hearted,
mid-life, comedy romance.
by Morag Clarke
Naked in the Now
What if presence felt like
being seduced by life?
Amazon
101 Ways to Wow! Our World
Insights, ideas, & actions
to WOW your life now!
Amazon
The Shadow of the Volcano
A thrilling 'time travel'
adventure for 7 - 13 yr olds.
Amazon
TEMPEST'S SECRET
Adorable cosy mystery
with a kitten for 7-9 yr olds
Amazon