Talking to children about death can be hard. Water Bugs and Dragonflies, a perennial bestseller, can help you to answer their questions. Doris Stickney tells the story of a small colony of water bugs living below the surface of a pond. Whenever a bug leaves the pond, those left behind are faced with the mystery of their absence. Stickney invites children into the question of their absence and offers hope for the future. First published under the title Death in Colloquy (December 1971), the story was revised and expanded in 1982 to become the bestselling Waterbugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children. This edition features full-colour paintings by Gloria Ortiz Hernandez.

How can we answer the many questions young children have about death? Looking for a meaningful way to explain to neighbourhood children the death of a five-year-old friend, Doris Stickney adapted the graceful fable about the waterbug that changed into a dragonfly. First published under the title "Death" in 'Colloquy' (December 1971), the story was revised and expanded in 1982 to become the current bestselling Waterbugs and Dragonflies. This edition features full-colour paintings by Gloria Ortiz Hernandez, an artist whose work has been exhibited in Europe, South America, and the USA. A native of Columbia, she currently lives and creates her work on a farm in Pennsylvania.

Title mention in the Nursery Education, 2007