Every single night, it happens. Simon lies waiting on his bed for his father to climb the stairs and begin their nighttime ritual. And every night, Simon’s father tucks him in and utters the words that put the whole world to sleep – the continents and oceans, the animals and birds, even the magical realm of elf and fairy. Finally Simon lies still, sleeping securely in the knowledge that as long as the fairies are keeping watch, nothing bad can happen.

Every Single Night (originally published as Tous les soirs du monde) is the latest work from the much-loved and duly honoured Quebec author Dominique Demers. Her language is spare yet comforting, and the plot unfolds like a strangely familiar myth, telling of Dad’s ability to command the creatures of the earth in a nocturnal ritual that calms his son’s fears. Poetry creeps in, too, when “animals curl up in the arms of night,” and “a gentle veil settles over the midnight sun.”

Governor General’s Award nominee Nicolas Debon’s glowing illustrations combine intimate visual vignettes with sweeping double-page spreads. Brushstrokes are almost tangible as the nighttime saga plays out under evening light and setting sun. By juxtaposing scenes encompassing the curvature of the earth with the dim interior of Simon’s bedroom, Debon manages to imbue his work with a hint of surrealism, matching the far-reaching incantations of Simon’s father.

With this title, the genre of books written to help children fall asleep has gained elegance and depth. Demers and Debon offer a poetic ceremony that bonds father and son as surely as they know the sun will rise the next morning.