When grief hits a family we often struggle with ways in which to support our children. In dealing with difficult issues, sometimes a story is the best way to open a dialogue.  Children often don't understand death and the finality it brings. Processing the concepts of death and dying is confusing for children - and many adults. Often reading a story can help kids know they are not alone and can assist them in normalizing what they are experiencing.  It can offer a safe way to open a dialogue with children about loss, death and grief, in groups, as a family, or one-on-one. Sharing a story about the loss another has experienced allows a child to feel "me too", even if the topic of the story isn't the same as the loss the child has experienced themselves.
(partially excerpted from information at: What's Your Grief)