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.