
Finalists 2021
Below is a list of the 2021 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, 2022.
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
If you happen to be looking for a good read, the readers at The Wishing Shelf Awards thoroughly recommend the following:

Nurse Bear Does First Aid: Picture Book to Learn First Aid Skills for Toddlers and Kids
Author: Marta Almansa Esteva

Olive the Worrying Wiener: A Short Tale about a Particularly Long Dog
Author: Ally Arena
Illustrator: Rafaela Sukiyama

Monster in the Water: Fighting Back Against Harmful Algal Blooms
Author: Dylan Dagate
Illustrator: Maria Decerce

Sticky Icky Vicky: Courage over Fear
Author: Alysia Ssentamu, Michael Ssentamu
Illustrator: Noor Alshalabi

Audacious Goals, Remarkable Results: How an Explorer, an Engineer and a Statesman shaped our Modern World
Author: Brad Borkan and David Hirzel

Black, White, And Gray All Over; A Black Man’s Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement
Author: Frederick Reynolds

Just Say "$%#&! NO!†Book Dedicated to the Well-Intended Overextended!
Author: Heather Tobin
Illustrator: Karen Tobin

Kings, Conquerors, Psychopaths: From Alexander to Hitler to the Corporation
Author: Joseph N Abraham MD

Grandpa Jock and the Incredible Iron-Bru-Man Incident: Gorgeous George
Author: Stuart Reid
Performed by: Stuart Reid

Fries & Alibis: Paranormal Cozy Mystery: Mitzy Moon Mysteries Series, Book 1
Author: Trixie Silvertale
Performed by: Coleen Marlo

Systemology: Create Time, Reduce Errors and Scale Your Profits with Proven Business Systems
Author: David Jenyns

The Essential Family Guide to Caring for Older People
Author: Deborah Stone
Performed by: Maggie Ollerenshaw

Little Wade and Watchtower: Abigail and the Great Gang Trap
Author: Sean March
Cover Designer: Joe Ruiz

Rory, Quest for the Northern Lights
Author: Sarah Cullen, Carmen Ellis
Cover Designer: Zuzana Svobodova

The Young Adult’s Collection of Short Scary Stories
Author: Michael Ross
Cover Designer: Magdalena Adić
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.
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Rainbow Cat and Mouse
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Portraits of a Pandemic
The story of how a microscopic
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Literary Historical Fiction
Karma and horses drive one
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The Nephilem
A Sun-soaked setting
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BLACK TABLE
Can two sci-fi fans from
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Love in the Cupboard
A sweet, clean Catholic Priest
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Captivity (Faction War #1)
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Take Care of Yourself!
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TREACHERY!
A WW2 child
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Harvey's Hutch
A man, nearly seventy,
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Crossing Borders
American memoir on prospects
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Adventures of Wizard Aquarius
A clever young wizard searches
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How We Healed
A vivid family saga and an
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Soar: A Soul's Quest
A young eagle on a quest of
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DEPARTURE
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Monologues for Teens II
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Winds of Discontent
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I FEEL YOUR STARE
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Ghoul of Sherwood
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Hieroglyph
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HUNGRY TRAILS
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PLAYING SOLDIER
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Discovery of Elizabeth Sawyer
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Ships in the Desert
Timely, illuminating, and wise
—Julian Hoffman
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MORATURI LOST
Ship lost in Andromeda:
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Whispers of the Gone
A Realm and Elven Saga
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The Boy and the Jaguar
A magical Mayan tale
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Exclusion Zone
The VORKOSIGAN SAGA
meets DIE HARD.
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Arctic Dinosaurs
Her first Arctic year -
middle grade - free activities
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THE GRAVITY OF LIES
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Kingdom of Trung Trung Karmo
A fast-paced adventure
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The Animals at the Zoo
A Fun & Educational Picture
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CITRUS by Tabitha Kumwembe
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The Beast Keepers
A young vet discovers a
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Code of Rainbow Series
An Epic teen fantasy series
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Thriving After Sexual Abuse
Well-written and sensitive
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The World Against Her Skin
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Just Janey's Way
Janey wants EVERYTHING her way
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What You Cannot See
A woman trying to navigate
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RAIN FALLING ON EMBERS
A grieving, fish out of water
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Pumpkin King Saves Christmas
How Santa became jolly with
the help of the Pumpkin King.
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Plague of Flies
A young Latina fights to save
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A Novel about Life...and death
Will a mom's superhuman
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Planet Asperger
Around the Syndrome
in 88 Questions
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Emilie by Ingrid Ramsdale
Gripping historical adventure
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Master of Music - Marla Himeda
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