Winners 2026
Below is a list of the 2026 WINNERS 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.
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
- Category 12: Adult/Children's Poetry
- Short Story - Novelette
If you happen to be looking for a good read, the readers at The Wishing Shelf Awards thoroughly recommend the following:
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BELIEVING IN HORSES
Ride away with the
Believing in Horses books!
Amazon
TEMPEST AND THE BRIGHTON
TREASURE - A middle-grade
adventure children will love!
Amazon
MEMOIR OF A MANGLED MIND
Steve's 2 other personalities
wreak havoc all around him
Amazon
Moonshine Mesa
Why are bees, crows, & humans
dying at Moonshine Mesa?
Amazon
THE NIGHT SLAYER
Perfect for PERCY JACKSON fans
'Thrill-a-page, fantasy' TWSA
Amazon
Three Children's Stories
Child-approved SEL story
time plans & activities
by Adria Chalfin
REVOLUTION
A contemporary
satirical novel
Amazon
FIREWORKS
Anthology of quirky, cosy
fantasy and sci-fi tales
by Paul Olding
THE JEWEL OF WENZLO
An epic conflict
between rodent kings
Amazon
Dance Along
A curious cat, a magical
mirror & a world of twirls
Amazon
Forever Boy
Isaac comes to realize his new
friend harbors dark secrets.
books2read
The Third Estate
WHEN THE TRUTH SURFACES
AND THE LIES are REVEALED
Amazon
LIVING AT THE EDGE OF THE
WORLD Swap Wi-Fi for Wildlife
Shetland Adventure 9-12
WINTER, Book 1
The Mystery of the Lost Avenge
Multilevel story/ghost/romance
forensics/WWII/espionage
Linda Maria Frank
NEW TRAILS
A queer portal fantasy of
magic, courage, and home
books2read
Naked in the Now
What if presence felt like
being seduced by life?
Amazon
The Boy from the Night Sky
Thrilling fantasy adventure
for all ages.
Amazon
My Year at the Good Bean Cafe
A riveting tale of unlikely
and inexplicable events.
Amazon
Jack's 1st Birthday Adventure
Journey to Jingle Jangle:
A fun story with activities!
Amazon
THE SANDS OF DEE
A moving WW2 evacuee
adventure for Middle Grade.
Amazon
Mirrors & Smoke: A War of 1812
'A smartly plotted, character
novel set in 1800s Canada' WSA
Amazon/Audible
1066 WHAT FATES IMPOSE
An epic struggle for
the English Crown
by G. K. Holloway
Sara My Sara
A moving tale of friendship,
loss, and the gifts of grief.
Amazon
OUT OF TIME
Love at 78? Life has a
time limit. Love doesn't.
M. Jacqueline Murray
AMAZING WORLD BENEATH THE
WAVES Satisfy your curiosity
about oceans
www.barnettauthor.co.uk
Pause... and Effect
A sun-kissed journey through
menopause and beyond.
Amazon
DEAR JAMES
I know it's been 20 years, but
I needed to tell you I'm sorry
Amazon
The Boy and the Big White Rock
'...rewarding memoir of coming
of age in the 1960s.' KIRKUS
Barnes and Noble
RIVER WITCH
A haunting, emotional tale
of magic and purpose.
Amazon