Finalists 2024
Below is a list of the 2024 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, 2025.
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.

Red Ribbon
'They're All Barking,' A Dog's Guide to Human Behaviour
Author: Professor Daniel Springer-Spaniel

Red Ribbon
Sweet Peas and Bees: Life at the Flower Farm
Author: Mary Murphy
Illustrator: Fiona Van Housen

Red Ribbon
Wanderer's Journey: A Refugee's Search for a Home in the Beautiful Game Author
Author: Vedran Dedic
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No Free Speech for Hate
Provocative, chilling, topical
and razor-sharp dystopia
by Stephen Ford
The Halloween Candy MONSTER
Jimmy teaches the Halloween
candy monster a lesson
Amazon
ARNI'S ADVENTURES
8 charming, silly, comic
stories to laugh at & enjoy.
Amazon
LEGACY
A character-driven sci-fi/
fantasy with a twisting plot.
Amazon
I Never Said I Love You
A story of travel, friendship,
forgiveness, & roads not taken
Amazon
Winkle and Aster
Urban fantasy that takes
imagination to its limits
books2read
THE FOUNDLING
A foundling rises to
reclaim his stolen birthright
Amazon
My Solo Wedding in Santorini
A true story. Honest,
thought-provoking & funny .
blogaboutl
SOUL WALK
Unexpected Gifts of Grief and
Connection to Those in Spirit
Amazon
Confidently Mindful
Answers to your most asked
mindfulness questions.
Amazon
101 Ways to Wow! Our World
Insights, ideas, & actions
to encourage & empower
Amazon
Jemma and the Raven
A luminous adventure in
this epic YA fantasy debut
Amazon
Sea Change by Nick Bamford
'A gay romance and adventure
on a yacht at sea'
nickbamford.com
OUT OF TIME
Love at 78? Life has a
time limit. Love doesn't.
M. Jacqueline Murray
Lead the Competition
Read 100 Livestreaming &
Digital Media Predictions.
Amazon
Angry Arthur
and The Run Around Trick
Learn to manage big feelings
Amazon
Connecting Threads
A graphic memoir of
resilience and hope
Amazon
TEMPEST'S SECRET
Adorable cosy mystery
with a kitten for 7-9 yr olds
Amazon
THE PHILOSOPHER & THE ASSASSIN
campus novel, moral
philosophy, and murder mystery
Amazon
DRAGONDAH
The Secret Legacy
of Ottillee Bottomly
Amazon
Millie’s Magic
The little mouse
with a big heart.
Amazon
My Year at the Good Bean Cafe
A riveting tale of unlikely
and inexplicable events.
Amazon
Esme and Griswald
A WITCH in search of a
POTION to save her PRINCE
Amazon
Around the Globe
The Adventures of Squishy
and Boo, Book 3
Amazon
THE COIN
CAN FINDING A COIN
GET YOU KILLED?
books2read
Don't Look Too Tasty
Hungry aliens, missing
friends. Who can you trust?
Amazon
The Day After His Crucifixion
At last the women speak,
deepening Yeshua's story.
Amazon
Chronicles of MatiLou/PerryAnn
Through it all the girls work
to save Mother Earth.
Amazon
The War Ongoing: Knightfall
Knights embark on adventure
where sci-fi & fantasy collide
Amazon
Arni's Adventures
Pet dinosaur, bear, cat story
for the young reader.
Ashok
LoveVortex ... Drakor's Curse
A voyage into the unknown -
and a terrible curse.
Amazon
REVOLUTION
A contemporary
satirical novel
Amazon
Pippin's Country Adventure
A happy fun educational read
about an adventurous poodle.
Amazon
CAME A GENTLE WHISPER
A bittersweet, richly
layered historical romance.
by Rebecca A. Cathey
Book Love
YOUNG READERS become
WORLD LEADERS
Lorilyn Roberts
THE UNBROKEN
Love and adventure in
the strange worlds of mind.
Nigel Peace
Adventures of Beryl and Carol
Award winning, clean teen
adventure for all ages.
berylandcarol
THE DARK PLACES NOVELS
Paranormal thrillers to
get your pulse racing
kimgravell.com
Arctic Dinosaurs
Her first Arctic year -
middle grade - free activities
Fathom Publishing
Lucy Wants To go To School
Perfect for apprehensive
children starting school
Amazon
Of Mountains and Seas
A multigenerational urban
fantasy mystery.
Amazon
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows &
humans dying at the Mesa?
Amazon
HABITAT MAN
Midlife crisis meets eco-
fiction in heartwarming romcom
Amazon
LADY IN RED
Teen sleuths search for
a missing masterpiece.
Amazon
The Bride's Trunk
A gripping true story of
Anglo-German reconciliation
Amazon
BOBBIN AND THE MAGIC THIEF
A broken rule. A stolen
friend. A faerie rescue.
books2read
POLE TO POLE (Book 4)
A fast-paced MG graphic
novel on climate change
The Adventures of Captain Polo
The Faraway Mountains
A memorable novel about
growing up under dictatorship
Amazon
A Portion of Malice
A thought-provoking thrill
ride into the apocalypse
Amazon
More Future Dreams/Nightmares
Award-winning SF short
stories of AIs and robots.
Donald Firesmith
KEEPERS OF THE ROCK
THE DEBILIS RISING-YA Fantasy
Seize the rock. Rule the world
Amazon
THE SAD PRINCESS
Refinding joy with our
children is not a fairy tale
Amazon
Beyond a World Apart
Story Nazis attempted to burn
based on historical events
Amazon
JUST RIVER
Hilarious and grave.
A story of resilience.
Amazon
If Roses Were Blue
Inspiring, heart-warming
adventure for ages 8 & up
Amazon
ONE FOOL'S GOLD
Is that nugget you seek gold,
or only fool's gold?
Amazon
The Bride's Trunk
A gripping true story of
Anglo-German reconciliation
Amazon
There's a Duck in the House
TWSA FINALIST 2023
Large Format with Large Text
Amazon
The Shadow Deception
Can a pranking pixie and a
grumpy angel save the world?
Amazon








































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































