Previous Finalists





Finalists 2013

Below is a list of the 2013 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, 2014.

Jump straight to:

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

Maisie's Mountain by Lorna Murphy
Maisie's Mountain
Author: Lorna Murphy
Sir Stan the Bogeyman by Stacie Morrell
Sir Stan the Bogeyman
Author: Stacie Morrell

An Evening With Grandpa by Diana Matlin
An Evening With Grandpa
Author: Diana Matlin
Jasper's Hollow by Janet Annan
Jasper's Hollow
Author: Janet Annan
The Insect Hotel by David Stringer
The Insect Hotel
Author: David Stringer

Ally N. Invasion SPACE SPY by Steve Lill
Ally N. Invasion SPACE SPY
Author: Steve Lill
Believing in Horses by Valerie Ormond
Believing in Horses
Author: Valerie Ormond
Curse of the Scarab by H Y Hanna
Curse of the Scarab
Author: H Y Hanna
Frank Zoo and the Wannabe by Sue Hampton
Frank Zoo and the Wannabe
Author: Sue Hampton
Iron Knights by Robin Bennett
Iron Knights
Author: Robin Bennett
No Buts Becky! by José Patterson
No Buts Becky!
Author: José Patterson
Professor Kompressor Under Cover by Nils Andersson
Professor Kompressor Under Cover
Author: Nils Andersson
Return to Cardamom Book Two by Julie Anne Grasso
Return to Cardamom Book Two
Author: Julie Anne Grasso
Sir Kaye Book 1 by Don M Winn
Sir Kaye Book 1
Author: Don M Winn
The Assembly Room by Bryony Allen
The Assembly Room
Author: Bryony Allen
The Hackers of Oz by Tom Mula
The Hackers of Oz
Author: Tom Mula

Akinyi by Richard Wood
Akinyi
Author: Richard Wood
Arteess Conflict by James Starling
Arteess Conflict
Author: James Starling
Children of the Knight by Michael J Bowler
Children of the Knight
Author: Michael J Bowler
Napoleon Xylophone by Frank Lambert
Napoleon Xylophone
Author: Frank Lambert
Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt
Starstruck
Author: Brenda Hiatt
The Skipper's Child by Valerie Poore
The Skipper's Child
Author: Valerie Poore
The Ultimate Inferior Beings by Mark Roman
The Ultimate Inferior Beings
Author: Mark Roman
You and Me against the World by Raymond Esposito
You and Me against the World
Author: Raymond Esposito

A Little Book of Pleasures by William Wood
A Little Book of Pleasures
Author: William Wood
Angel War by Philip Dodd
Angel War
Author: Philip Dodd
Bookworm by Christopher Nuttall
Bookworm
Author: Christopher Nuttall
Bridge to Nowhere A Miz Mike Novel by Stephanie Parker McKean
Bridge to Nowhere A Miz Mike Novel
Author: Stephanie Parker McKean
Fire and Water by Betsy Graziani Fasbinder
Fire and Water
Author: Betsy Graziani Fasbinder
Flying With Kites by Alan Reynolds
Flying With Kites
Author: Alan Reynolds
LadyBird Fly by Tessa Lorant Warburg
LadyBird Fly
Author: Tessa Lorant Warburg
Ringturn by John C Mawson
Ringturn
Author: John C Mawson
The Goa File Argentina 1945-1983 by James Skinner
The Goa File Argentina 1945-1983
Author: James Skinner
The Hole Opportunity by J. Minter
The Hole Opportunity
Author: J. Minter

Spinach Soup For the Walls by Lynne Harkes
Spinach Soup For the Walls
Author: Lynne Harkes
Sudoku for Christmas by J S Holloway
Sudoku for Christmas
Author: J S Holloway
The Church of Tango: A Memoir by Cherie Magnus
The Church of Tango: A Memoir
Author: Cherie Magnus
The Perfect Pair The Enchanted Mirror by David C Holroyd & Tracy J Holroyd
The Perfect Pair The Enchanted Mirror
Author: David C Holroyd & Tracy J Holroyd


Sponsored Ads



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


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


Escape From Peconic Bay
A novel of love, impending
war, and espionage.
books2read


The Great Migration
Survive valley. Stop outbreak.
Or watch the kingdom burn.
Amazon


FIELDS OF PROSPERIS
"Bingeable space opera, best
complex villains"-ARK Watson
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


Sammie and Pumpkin
An adopted dog learns
how to make new friends.
Amazon


The Shadow and the Scream
Stranger Things meets
Alice in Wonderland.
Amazon


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


Arni's Adventures
Pet dinosaur, bear, cat story
for the young reader.
Ashok


Esme and Griswald
A WITCH in search of a
POTION to save her PRINCE
Amazon


Don't Look Too Tasty
Adventure: 9- to 12-year-olds:
twists & suspense!
by P G H Hannaford


ELLA'S WAR
Heart-stopping, spirit-lifting
award-winning historical novel
vineleavespress


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


Don't Look Too Tasty
Hungry aliens, missing
friends. Who can you trust?
Amazon


WAYS TO BE EQUALLY HUMAN
A deep dive into being non-
binary,climate activism & love
by Leslie Tate


HABITAT MAN
Midlife crisis meets eco-
fiction in heartwarming romcom
Amazon


“Hatch Chile Willie”
offers children a heartwarming
tale of friendship
Amazon


Nantucket Monsters
Island monsters on the sly,
live in the corner your eye
B. LAWSON HULL


Your Perfect Freelancer HERE!
Illustrators, Writers, Blurbs,
Editors, Layout Designs
Metaworx


The Word Gobblers
A handbook for parents with
children struggling to read
by Catherine Matthias


No Free Speech for Hate
Provocative, chilling, topical
and razor-sharp dystopia
by Stephen Ford


Mirrors & Smoke: A War of 1812
'A smartly plotted, character
novel set in 1800s Canada' WSA
Amazon/Audible


The Crooked Ladder
It's time to climb...
or die
Amazon


LEGACY
A character-driven sci-fi/
fantasy with a twisting plot.
Amazon


THE NIGHT SLAYER
Perfect for PERCY JACKSON fans
'Thrill-a-page, fantasy' TWSA
Amazon


The Stranger of Ul Darak BK 1
A new intriguing epic
high fantasy series
sceston.com


IF I COULD REMEMBER
A tender, unflinching memoir
on Alzheimer's caregiving
by Donna Costa


From The Back of a Donkey
Multi-award winning. A
captivating look at Christmas.
by Nancy Elaine Hartman Minor


Hecatomb of the Vampire
5 horror tales link in book 1
of The Dark Rituals Saga
Amazon


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


MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Steve's 2 other personalities
wreak havoc all around him
Amazon


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


Sara My Sara
A moving tale of friendship,
loss, and the gifts of grief.
Amazon


My Year at the Good Bean Cafe
A riveting tale of unlikely
and inexplicable events.
Amazon


The Boy from the Night Sky
Thrilling fantasy adventure
for all ages.
Amazon


Fenix and the Firework Fliers
Can Fenix save the Fireworks
when a firefly gets sick?
creativemovementstories.com


Winkle and Aster
Urban fantasy that takes
imagination to its limits
books2read


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


ULTIMATE OBSESSION
A cracking murder/mystery
packed with twists and turns.
Dai Henley


WHINGEY WILLIAMS Term 1
Follow Whingey on her FIRST
adventure on Gower
Amazon


FALSE NEUTRAL
One chance to finally
make sense of it all.
Amazon


The Pathology of Graphology
Two citizens of the lower
depths kill an aging DJ.
by David Milnes


Bentley Makes a Dump Cake
A delightful, messy adventure
with joy, teamwork, & color
Miki Taylor


WELCOME TO OPINE
Homo Sapiens 2.0: Will genetic
blessing be their undoing?
Amazon


DOWN TO EARTH
Master the art of combining
logic with intuition
Amazon


Momma Llama World
Free coloring sheets,
animated stories & more.
Meet Momma Llama


Pippin's Country Adventure
A happy fun educational read
about an adventurous poodle.
Amazon


The Boy and the Big White Rock
'...rewarding memoir of coming
of age in the 1960s.' KIRKUS
Barnes and Noble


OUT OF TIME
Love at 78? Life has a
time limit. Love doesn't.
M. Jacqueline Murray


Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
London to life in Washington
in a family of secrets
Amazon


The Lonely Lighthouse Bogle
A quirky rhyming tale honoring
the magic of friendship
Amazon


Dance Along
A curious cat, a magical
mirror & a world of twirls
Amazon


SOUTH KOREA
A nuanced & engaging analysis
of Korea's rise to prominence.
Amazon





The Monarchs
"A thought-provoking spiritual
quest" - Kirkus Reviews
Amazon


Sammie and Pumpkin
An adopted dog learns
how to make new friends.
Amazon


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


Down to Earth
A practical guide to using
intuition for smarter living.
Amazon