
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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Ian's Realm Saga
A 7 book adventure fantasy
series for the family.
gardnersart.com
The B-17 Tomahawk Warrior
"This happened in 1944 but
honored 80 years later!"
Amazon
RAVEN'S GRAVE Charlotte Stuart
Betrayal and death in
an Alaskan Tlingit village.
Amazon
Chains of Prophecy
A man finds he is the chosen
sorcerer of Heaven.
Amazon
No Death in Finding Nemo
Stories of mundane lives which
change in surprising ways
www.jeffreyfeingold.com
TWO LEFT WINGS - Safety Averse
4 kids - heart-warming / funny
friendship and self-growth
Amazon
How We Healed
A vivid family saga and an
unforgettable healing odyssey
Amazon
Sprout's Surprise!
A humorous story with
a gentle ecofriendly message
Amazon
Harmony Dances On
Helping children navigate the
journey through grief
Amazon
Then We'll Say Goodnight
How would you get your
unruly puppies back to bed?
Amazon
Clouds on the Ground
Poems exploring natural beauty
and the realm of dreams
Amazon
The Shadow Deception
Can a pranking pixie and a
grumpy angel save the world?
Amazon
Forever Boy
Isaac comes to realize his new
friend harbors dark secrets.
books2read
CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF ANSWERS
"Crazy family. Endless cold
case. Then there's a clue!"
Amazon
The Shadow and the Scream
Stranger Things meets
Alice in Wonderland.
Amazon
Portraits of a Pandemic
The story of how a microscopic
virus changed our lives.
Amazon
Love in the Cupboard
A sweet, clean Catholic Priest
seeks a wife rom-com
Amazon
Fenix and the Firework Fliers
Can Fenix save the Fireworks
when a firefly gets sick?
creativemovementstories.com
The Tree of Life
Come with Lord Robert %
seek out an unknown 5th gospel
Amazon
A Novel about Life...and death
Will a mom's superhuman
efforts save her family?
Amazon/Apple
“Hatch Chile Willie”
offers children a heartwarming
tale of friendship
Amazon
Thar She Blows
Brian got swallowed by
a whale. Mom’ll be mad.
www.books2read.com
When Secrets Come to Light
A novel of love, mystery
friendships, and murder
www.georgerhopkins.com
Discovery of Elizabeth Sawyer
The ‘Witch of Edmonton’
overturns Jacobean London
www.jonathanvischer.com
CALM POND
TOP 10 BOOK - 9 short stories
for 5 - 9 year olds
Amazon
Meet the Snozzeralls
Fun & Educational
Kids Picture Book
Amazon
Wartime Secrets, Family Lies
London to life in Washington
in a family of secrets
Amazon
Children of the Realm
Girl finds mythical origins
in YA urban fantasy
Amazon
The Gemini Connection
An intriguing thriller that
will keep you hooked.
Amazon
A SQUEAKY TOY, A LEASH, AND
A PRAYER Mom's Choice Awards
GOLD - for dog loving families
Amazon
Return to Vienna
How SOE worked to free
Austria from Hitler's grip
Amazon
DEAR JAMES
I know it's been 20 years, but
I needed to tell you I'm sorry
Amazon
THE SELFISH SHELLFISH & THE
SICK SEA an environmental gem
for the age. GET A COPY AT:
theprolificword.com
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Steve's 2 other personalities
wreak havoc all around him
Amazon
Social Media & Mental Health
‘’Empower your child to be
safe in the digital world’’
Amazon
Terracolina-A Place to Belong
A fantasy to delight middle-
graders and nature lovers.
Amazon
PICTURE THE ALPHABET
Find over 150 objects, learn
letters & build vocabulary.
Amazon
THE DARK PLACES NOVELS
Paranormal thrillers to
get your pulse racing
kimgravell.com
I’m Going to Have a Sister
For new siblings teaching
patience & understanding
thegreatbritishbookshop
UNTANGLING YOU
Take control of how u respond
to difficult relationships
www.kerryhowells.com/books
DRAGONDAH
The Secret Legacy
of Ottillee Bottomly
Amazon
Monty and the Monster
Heartwarming adventure
of an unlikely friendship
Amazon
Ghoul of Sherwood
Robin Hood and his men solve
a grisly murder near a nunnery
Amazon
A Lady Newspaperman's Dilemma
Alex’s goal: succeed in a 1926
male world of news reporting
Amazon
Fit to Eat
Empower yourself to age
without chronic diseases.
Amazon
Samurai's Gift Among Forest
A grieving child's journey
to healing her spirit.
books2read
The Toad from Outer Space
A cautionary tale about a
toad-ily historic space flight
www.childrensfunnybooks.co.uk
A Rage To Live
A true boys' coming of age
story set during the Holocaust
Amazon
THE PEBBLE CHAMPION
A stirring tale
of sadness and self-discovery.
Amazon
CLEAR-CUTS
Raw, visceral, unflinching...
ties that bind coming unbound
Amazon
The Mystery of the Lost Avenge
Multilevel story/ghost/romance
forensics/WWII/espionage
Linda Maria Frank
The Secrets of Hawthorne House
An unlikely friendship, clash
of cultures, and hidden magic
Amazon
NUDGES FROM THE OTHER SIDE
Must-read for those who grieve
or curious about the afterlife
Amazon
MaryLou
"An engaging, well-crafted
family drama" TWSA
Amazon
Alphamind
Embark on a journey into the
depths of the human spirit!
Amazon
Crowded platforms Window Seats
One family's adventures
around Europe by train.
Amazon
The War Ongoing: Knightfall
Knights embark on adventure
where sci-fi & fantasy collide
Amazon
The Pivotal Pastor
A pastor and famous
architect transform a parish
Amazon
Adventures of Negassi Brothers
Exciting children's adventure
into African history
Amazon