Finalists 2020
Below is a list of the 2020 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, 2021.
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)
- Red Ribbon Bands
If you happen to be looking for a good read, the readers at The Wishing Shelf Awards thoroughly recommend the following:

The Big Adventures Of A Little Tree: Tree Finds Friendship
Author: Nadja Springer
Illustrator: Tilia Rand-Bell

The Super Awesome Secret Adventures of Billy the Brave: Jungle Mayhem
Author: Christian Canning
Illustrator: Edison Goncalves, Len Simon

Chieftain’s Daughter: Violet Moon Series Book 2
Author: Alisa Hope Wagner
Illustrator: Albert Morales

Anti-Sell: Marketing, Lead Generation & Networking Tips for Freelancers Who Hate Sales
Author: Steve Morgan

Bad Bitches and Power Pitches: For Women Entrepreneurs and Speakers Only
Author: Precious L. Williams

It's A Jungle Out There, Powerful Parenting Lessons Inspired by The Lion King
Author: Nathaniel A. Turner

Make Fitness A Priority: 30 tips to elevate your life through fitness, Chad Austin
Author: Chad Austin, Jesse Kepka

No More Cakes and Ale? Dietary Intelligence for gluten-free adults and their food dudes
Author: Sophie Newton

Redefining Normal: How Two Foster Kids Beat The Odds and Discovered Healing, Happiness, and Love
Author: Justin and Alexis Black

Success Tools: Upgrade Yourself into a High Performer for Lifelong Career Success
Author: Leopoldo Fu

Surfing the Waves of Alzheimer's: Principles of Caregiving That Kept Me Upright
Author: Renée Brown Harmon, MD

The Cosmic Playbook for Writers: 30 Vital Mini Meditations to Boost Your Creativity, Resilience & Passion
Author: P.K. Davies

The Introvert’s Complete Career Guide: From Landing a Job, to Surviving, Thriving and Moving on Up
Author: Jane Finkle

Volcanic Momentum: Get Things Done by Setting Destiny Goals, Mastering the Energy Code, and Never Losing Steam
Author: Jordan Ring
A Red Ribbon is awarded to a book that did NOT get over 30/40 to be a finalist, but was still very much enjoyed by the readers.

Red Ribbon
Everything Under the Sun: A Family Doctor's Reflections on Life, Love, Loss and Renewed Hope in Medicine
Author: Bruce Rowe MD
Sponsored Ads
Arni's Adventures
Pet dinosaur, bear, cat story
for the young reader.
Ashok
Your Words Your Love
A dazzling explosion
of beauty for your soul.
books2read
Book Love
YOUNG READERS become
WORLD LEADERS
Lorilyn Roberts
AT RECEPTION
Will Sally fall for the charms
of a guest? ADULT FICTION
by Galahad Porter
REVOLUTION: A NOVEL
Comical misadventures in
modern Los Angeles
Amazon
There's a Duck in the House
TWSA FINALIST 2023
Large Format with Large Text
Amazon
POLO IN BRAZIL (BOOK 5)
A fast-paced MG graphic
novel exploring climate action
The Adventures of Captain Polo
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows &
humans dying at the Mesa?
Amazon
THE SOCIETY
Elizabeth Grant Thriller-woman
embroiled in a conspiracy
Amazon
Of Mountains and Seas
A multigenerational urban
fantasy mystery.
Amazon
The Bride's Trunk
A gripping true story of
Anglo-German reconciliation
Amazon
KEEPERS OF THE ROCK
THE DEBILIS RISING-YA Fantasy
Seize the rock. Rule the world
Amazon
Terracolina-A Place to Belong
A fantasy to delight middle-
graders and nature lovers.
Amazon
Churchill’s Secret Army
WW2 courage and sacrifice
in the undercover SOE
www.cloudshillpress.com
The Day After His Crucifixion
At last the women speak,
deepening Yeshua's story.
Amazon
1066 WHAT FATES IMPOSE
An epic struggle for
the English Crown
by G. K. Holloway
DAUGHTER OF SPIES
Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
A FINALIST in TWSA
Amazon
KIRKYARD MOON
Two women, One body.
A historical fantasy novel.
by Rhys Shaw
The Shadow and the Scream
Stranger Things meets
Alice in Wonderland.
Amazon
THE WAY OF WATER
Brilliant YA Fantasy with
Magic, Mystery & Romance
Amazon
THE SAD PRINCESS
Refinding joy with our
children is not a fairy tale
Amazon
The Book Witch
A thrilling, fast paced
fantasy book for MGs
Amazon
Sara My Sara
A moving tale of friendship,
loss, and the gifts of grief.
Amazon
THOSE DARN STRIPES
A genuine read opening the
doors on love, life, & meaning
Amazon
MY SHADOW
A storybook for children
of parents with epilepsy
lulu.com
Playing Soldier
A savagely haunting true
journey of self-discovery.
F. Scott Service
Tales Beyond Midnight
Dark, twisty and gripping.
You'll never stop at one.
by Kim Gravell
Perfect Middle Grade Series
Montana and her friends
save the forest animals!
Amazon
MILLIE'S RAINBOW
Beautiful picture book.
Kindness and rainbows.
by Hilary Hawkes
POLE TO POLE (Book 4)
A fast-paced MG graphic
novel on climate change
The Adventures of Captain Polo
The Boy and the Big White Rock
'...rewarding memoir of coming
of age in the 1960s.' KIRKUS
Barnes and Noble
THE PEBBLE CHAMPION
A stirring tale
of sadness and self-discovery.
Amazon
The Beast Keepers
A young vet discovers a
world of mythical creatures
Amazon
FIELDS OF PROSPERIS
"Bingeable space opera, best
complex villains"-ARK Watson
Amazon
My Solo Wedding in Santorini
A true story. Honest,
thought-provoking & funny .
blogaboutl
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Steve's 2 other personalities
wreak havoc all around him
Amazon
LOOK AWAY NO MORE
A story rich in history & love
at a Georgia college in 1970.
Amazon
Pippin's Country Adventure
A happy fun educational read
about an adventurous poodle.
Amazon
The Gemini Connection
An intriguing thriller that
will keep you hooked.
Amazon
One Year, One Night, 2nd Ed.
A beautiful story set in an
English village during WWII.
Amazon
101 Ways to Wow! Our World
Insights, ideas, & actions
to encourage & empower
Amazon
Pure Ink Press
Quality partnership publisher
open for submissions
Pure Ink Press
Tally and the Angel
Unstoppable middle-grade
adventures around the world!
by Eleanor Dixon
The Broken Wife
A gripping tale of love,
loss, and BETRAYAL.
Amazon
Demons to Champions
A tale of neurodivergent
awakening and triumph.
Amazon
It Rains in February
A wife's memoir of love,
suicide, grief and loss
Amazon
Plea to a Frozen God
A desperate trio appeals
to the God of Death.
Amazon
Winkle and Aster
Urban fantasy that takes
imagination to its limits
books2read
THE GIFT OF BELONGING
A compelling tale of love,
war & finding your way
by Cheryl Burman
My Year at the Good Bean Cafe
A riveting tale of unlikely
and inexplicable events.
Amazon
HABITAT MAN
Midlife crisis meets eco-
fiction in heartwarming romcom
Amazon
Down to Earth
A practical guide to using
intuition for smarter living.
Amazon
DRAGONDAH (9 - 12 year olds)
Solving ancient mysteries and
outwitting scheming villains!
Amazon
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows, & humans
dying at Moonshine Mesa?
Amazon
DOWN TO EARTH
Master the art of combining
logic with intuition
Amazon
The Monster Bones of...
A time travel mystery about
an ancient skeleton for kids.
by Linda Maria Frank
Then We'll Say Goodnight
How would you get your
unruly puppies back to bed?
Amazon
NEW TRAILS
A queer portal fantasy of
magic, courage, and home
books2read
Sea Change by Nick Bamford
'A gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea'
nickbamford.com








































































































































































































































































































































































































