Finalists 2022
Below is a list of the 2022 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, 2023.
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:

Benny the Brave in The First Day Jitters
Author: Julie Anne Penn and Darren Penn
Illustrator: Sergio De Giorgi

The Dragon and the Unicorn: The Magic of Friendship,
Author: Charly Froh
Illustrator: Zuzana Svobodova

Novo, The Space Robot, How to Solve the Mystery of Crying
Author: Charly Froh
Illustrator: Zuzanna Svobodova

Super Kena - A Girl Made Fierce with Hearing Aids
Author: Becky Cymbaluk
Illustrator: Zuzana Svobodova
A Red Ribbon is awarded to a book that did NOT get over 25/35 to be a finalist, but was still very much enjoyed by the readers.
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THOSE DARN STRIPES
A genuine read opening the
doors on love, life, & meaning
Amazon
Beyond a World Apart
Story Nazis attempted to burn
based on historical events
Amazon
CALM POND
TOP 10 BOOK - 9 short stories
for 5 - 9 year olds
Amazon
BOBBIN AND THE MAGIC THIEF
A broken rule. A stolen
friend. A faerie rescue.
books2read
Smurgle The Windy Dragon
By Jane Clack, ill. by Lucy
Nicholson. A FUN PICTURE BOOK!
Amazon
JUST RIVER
Hilarious and grave.
A story of resilience.
Amazon
The Pond of Reflection
A Fantasy Adventure - Teamwork
Friendship & Self-Discovery
Amazon
Rider of the Wind
An exultant celebration
of the magic of music
Amazon
TEMPEST AND THE BRIGHTON
TREASURE - A middle-grade
adventure children will love!
Amazon
101 Ways to Wow! Our World
Insights, ideas, & actions
to encourage & empower
Amazon
MERCY'S VIEW: BLACKOUT
Memoir - A runaway's reckless
re-entry into society
Amazon
Lucy Wants To go To School
Perfect for apprehensive
children starting school
Amazon
Glitching Souls - Steve Kenney
Neil can read minds...
He can't turn them off.
Amazon
My Year at the Good Bean Cafe
A riveting tale of unlikely
and inexplicable events.
Amazon
ULTIMATE OBSESSION
A cracking murder/mystery
packed with twists and turns.
Dai Henley
The Collective Consciousness
Embark on a journey into the
depths of the human spirit!
Amazon
My Solo Wedding in Santorini
A true story. Honest,
thought-provoking & funny .
blogaboutl
The Beast Keepers
A young vet discovers a
world of mythical creatures
Amazon
Publishing Questions?
Find easy to understand
answers, top tips & more.
oldmatemedia
Into the Thicket
Boy finds an injured rabbit
sparks heartfelt journey
Amazon
Esme and Griswald
A WITCH in search of a
POTION to save her PRINCE
Amazon
THE MERMELF
Mystery girl. Mermelves arrive
Dystopian rebellion begins
Amazon
NEW TRAILS
One step changed his world.
One man changed his heart.
Amazon
THEY'RE ALL BARKING
Discover how your lifestyle
and emotions affect your dog
Amazon
TALE OF THE ENGLISH TEMPLAR
Resistance to tyranny starts
with an act of compassion
by Helena P Schrader
THE FOUNDLING
A foundling rises to
reclaim his stolen birthright
Amazon
Sea Change by Nick Bamford
'A gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea'
nickbamford.com
Your Words Your Love
A dazzling explosion
of beauty for your soul.
books2read
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Steve's 2 other personalities
wreak havoc all around him
Amazon
DRAGONDAH
The Secret Legacy
of Ottillee Bottomly
Amazon
THEY'RE ALL BARKING
Springer Spaniel's eye-opening
view of human behaviour
Amazon
Adventures of Beryl and Carol
Award winning, clean teen
adventure for all ages.
berylandcarol
Don't Look Too Tasty
Adventure: 9- to 12-year-olds:
twists & suspense!
by P G H Hannaford
LIVING AT THE EDGE OF THE
WORLD Swap Wi-Fi for Wildlife
Shetland Adventure 9-12
WINTER, Book 1
THE TIFFIN
Lost tiffin. Note gone astray.
A boy's search for family.
Amazon
The Other Lotus Girl
He was buying tea.
She was running for her life.
danielariddle.com
Mirrors & Smoke: A War of 1812
'A smartly plotted, character
novel set in 1800s Canada' WSA
Amazon/Audible
Don't Look Too Tasty
Hungry aliens, missing
friends. Who can you trust?
Amazon
Jack's 1st Birthday Adventure
Journey to Jingle Jangle:
A fun story with activities!
Amazon
Out of the Darkness...
A memoir of animal
connections, love, and healing
books2read.com
The Gemini Connection
An intriguing thriller that
will keep you hooked.
Amazon
Of Mountains and Seas
A multigenerational urban
fantasy mystery.
Amazon
WHINGEY WILLIAMS Term 1
Follow Whingey on her FIRST
adventure on Gower
Amazon
Forever Boy
Isaac comes to realize his new
friend harbors dark secrets.
books2read
Lead the Competition
Read 100 Livestreaming &
Digital Media Predictions.
Amazon
Sprout's Surprise!
A humorous story with
a gentle ecofriendly message
Amazon
MY SHADOW
A storybook for children
of parents with epilepsy
lulu.com
Story and Structure
A book on story: 'beats Joseph
Campbell at his own game.'
Amazon
WAYS TO BE EQUALLY HUMAN
A deep dive into being non-
binary,climate activism & love
by Leslie Tate
BEAUTIFUL AND TERRIBLE THINGS
A NOVEL. Award-winning story
of social justice & friendship
Amazon
The Ghost of Neil Diamond
A tribute artist scales
the Great Wall of China.
by David Milnes
Escape From Peconic Bay
A fast-paced, historical novel
set during the run up to WW2
books2read
Jemma and the Raven
A luminous adventure in
this epic YA fantasy debut
Amazon
S.O.S. by Sue C Dugan
An exciting, time-travel
adventure for middle graders
Amazon
RED CHAIR PRESS
Titles in Dyslexic and
/or Large Print editions
ReadHowYouWant
THE UNBROKEN
Love and adventure in
the strange worlds of mind.
Nigel Peace
CAME A GENTLE WHISPER
A bittersweet, richly
layered historical romance.
by Rebecca A. Cathey
Connecting Threads
A graphic memoir of
resilience and hope
Amazon
The Graffiti Killer
A mind unhinged on
the fulcrum of our age.
by David Milnes



















































































































































































































































































































































































































































