Waterbugs and Dragonflies

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.