Finalists 2023
Below is a list of the 2023 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, 2024.
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:
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.
Sponsored Ads
A Vampire's Tooth Fairy Chase
A vampire with flat teeth
searches for the Tooth Fairy.
Amazon
LIKE NO OTHER - Cry.
Laugh.
Think.
www.fontreal.com
Clifftop Farm in Wartime
A story of WW2
evacuated children
Amazon
The Ghosts of Nothing
The town of Nothing is haunted
...and fairies are to blame.
Amazon
Sneaky Snobby by Jennifer Kvam
LOOK OUT! Making trouble is
Sneaky Snobby´s hobby!
Amazon
Sibby's Secret
Heart-stopping adventure
for our detective Buccaneers
Amazon
CLEAR-CUTS
Raw, visceral, unflinching...
ties that bind coming unbound
Amazon
Sophia and Sinclair Get Lost!
A rabbit and a turtle get
lost in a hay maze!
Amazon
Your Perfect Freelancer HERE!
Illustrators, Writers, Blurbs,
Editors, Layout Designs
Metaworx
The Lost Heir Book 1 and 2
Mash Princess Bride
+ dash of GOT
Amazon
I FEEL YOUR STARE
An Autobiography
BOOK AWARD WINNER!
Amazon
CHARLES DARWIN...
An entertaining learning
resource for curious kids.
www.alanhesse.com
The Stress Book
STRESS MANAGEMENT & PREVENTION
BOOK, WINNER OF 40+ AWARDS
Amazon
JUST RIVER
Hilarious and grave.
A story of resilience.
Amazon
THE DARK PLACES NOVELS
Paranormal thrillers to
get your pulse racing
kimgravell.com
The Crooked Ladder
It's time to climb...
or die
Amazon
The Fungus Among Us
Encourage children to explore
and connect to nature
Amazon
CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF ANSWERS
"Crazy family. Endless cold
case. Then there's a clue!"
Amazon
WIND
Page-flipping eco-fantasy.
A contemporary Wizard of Oz
Amazon
False Neutral
A story of choices made & not
made, & the collision of paths
Amazon
I FEEL YOUR STARE
An Autobiography by Cheryl
Gillespie - Book Award Winner!
Amazon
The Accidental Boyfriend
Slightly steamy, fake dating,
celebrity young adult romcom
lorifreeland
Into The Shadows
Journey from naïve university
student to a great spy.
marinemoments.uk
Me and My Shadow
Honest reflection how cancer
took a boy to death’s door.
Amazon
Captain Polo Saving the Planet
"Eco-adventure comics
for middle graders"
www.alanhesse.com
When Secrets Come to Light
A novel of love, mystery
friendships, and murder
www.georgerhopkins.com
The Beast Keepers
A young vet discovers a
world of mythical creatures
Amazon
Isobel Kent: Editor
Are you ready to take
your book to school?
IsobelKentProofreader.co.uk
Harmony Dances On
Helping children navigate the
journey through grief
Amazon
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows &
humans dying at the Mesa?
Amazon
Sam & Me & the Hard Pear Tree
A personal account of
a mother’s ultimate loss
Amazon
RAIN FALLING ON EMBERS
A grieving, fish out of water
teen struggles to survive.
KatieMcCabeSeries.com
MUMMY TRUMPS
A rhyming flatulent book that
is fun for all of the family.
Amazon
WHEN JESUS CALLS
A Story of Undeniable Faith.
TWSA 2023 FINALIST
marthagayle
THE BOOK
Earth will be fine, humanity
is on track for annihilation!
Amazon
The Last Spiritwalker
Blood, magic, myths &
a badass female lead
Amazon
Writing in a Nutshell
Writing Workshops to
Improve Your Craft
Amazon
A Going Home Surprise
Award winning book for a
child about owning a pet
Amazon
Soar: A Soul's Quest
A young eagle on a quest of
self-discovery & enlightenment
Amazon
SECRETS AND SPIES
A WW2 tale of love, friendship
and wartime conflict, 8-12 yrs
Amazon
Irish Famine Novel
My novel Hungry Trails
celebrates family resilience
Amazon
Inspirational Mindset Journey
This book, therapy by power of
fiction, can alter your life.
Amazon
The Halloween Candy MONSTER
Jimmy teaches the Halloween
candy monster a lesson
Amazon
Guiding Kids Through Anger
Parenting chaos
meets humor therapy
Amazon
LIKE A HERO
Being a superhero WITHOUT
powers is never easy!
books2read
Tatiana and the Russian Wolves
A Russian émigré reconciles
tragic family secrets
www.stephenevansjordan.com
A Trip From God, Book 1
NEW gods NEW religion NEW
prophet NEW order OLD insanity
Amazon
HEALER'S BLADE
Can a young woman change
the fate of England?
StoryOrigin
Adventures of Beryl and Carol
Award winning, clean teen
adventure for all ages.
berylandcarol
Publishing Questions?
Find easy to understand
answers, top tips & more.
oldmatemedia
DANCE STANCE
"Highly recommended! A truly
excellent book" Wishing Shelf
bookshop.org
Monologues for Teens II
Clean, family-friendly new
scenes for teen actors.
Amazon
Whispers of the Gone
A Realm and Elven Saga
for the curious adventurer.
Amazon
Love Snaggs
Join Snaggs on a fantastical
journey through time & space.
Amazon
Tuskie’s Travels
Tuskie teaches his crew to
dissolve upsets in 30 seconds!
www.thekidcode.ca
A HARD SILENCE
Grief, love, and learning to
speak the unspeakable
www.vineleavespress.com
Somewhere in Yorkshire
A humorous, award-winning,
children’s adventure.
Amazon
A Novel about Life...and death
Will a mom's superhuman
efforts save her family?
Amazon/Apple
BEHIND THE PICKLE JAR
A fun, relatable,
emotionally powerful read!
Amazon