Books to Inspire: May 2026

The Push

By Ashley Audrain

Ashley Audrain’s The Push is a tense, unsettling novel that challenges comforting ideas about motherhood. It follows Blythe as she raises her daughter while grappling with a growing sense that something isn’t right. Rather than presenting caregiving as instinctive or fulfilling, Audrain explores uncertainty, self-doubt, and the quiet erosion of identity.

What makes the novel compelling is its focus on the unspoken side of parenting—the pressure to appear composed and the internal conflict that often goes unseen. Blythe’s experience reveals how easily confidence and a sense of self can shift under the weight of expectation.

Audrain offers no easy answers, instead presenting a raw and ambiguous portrait that lingers with the reader. It’s a powerful read for anyone interested in more honest, complex portrayals of family life, and in questioning the stories we are often told about what parenting should feel like.

The Push by Ashley Audrain was published in Canada by Penguin Random House in 2021. A copy can be found in the fiction section of Neilson Hays Library. 

Love You Forever 

Written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Sheila McGraw

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch is one of those books that many parents end up coming back to again and again. It follows the relationship between a mother and her son as he grows, using simple, repetitive language that makes it perfect for reading together. There’s something really comforting about the rhythm of the story, and it naturally creates a moment of closeness between parent and child.

As a parent, it’s easy to connect with the deep love at the centre of the book—that feeling of wanting to hold onto your child even as they grow and change. At the same time, there’s a quiet intensity to that love that can feel both beautiful and a little overwhelming.

It’s a lovely choice if you’re looking for a story to share at bedtime, one that opens up space for connection, conversation, and those small, meaningful moments together.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch was published in Canada by Firefly Books in 1986. Munsch is a Canadian author known for his engaging, heartfelt children’s stories that often explore family relationships and emotional connection. A copy can be found in the children’s section of most libraries.

Prepared by Kit Lang @mskitlang. The Neilson Hays Library is Thailand’s premier English-language library. The Children's Program offers Saturday Story Time, a cozy Children's Corner, and special holiday events. Adult Programs include concerts, art exhibitions, book clubs, and book sales. Located in a UNESCO-awarded historic building with a garden and cafe on site: 195 Surawong Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook.