Travels With My Mom

When you lose a loved one, there's not a lot you can do except wait for time to heal the open wound. But when 13 year-old Theo Saunders' mother is struck down by a drunk driver, his reeling family does something wholly unexpected: they seek distraction and solace in a trip to far-flung China. In the aftermath of his mother's death, Theo is struggling to understand how, "Somewhere, somebody decided that when you turn thirteen, you suddenly become an adult." Like all adolescents, he's feeling betrayed. The years of parental reassurance that they'll keep the world a safe place have ended all too abruptly. He knows this isn't new. As if finding out who you are amidst the jigsaw puzzle of high school, social media and an ignorant, extorting bully all coupled with the siren's call of the opposite sex isn't enough, Theo and his twin sister Rose awake to find themselves drowning in a sea of grief. Smart and independent - the children of two Seattle Symphony principal players - in their family, Art is always spelled with a capital "A". The twins have been raised in a home alive with music, encouragement and warm humor. They've been taught to think for themselves and believe that any goal is attainable. Clifford and Katharine Saunders balanced each other in perfect counterpoint, enjoying a marriage sparked by love at first sight and grounded by their shared passion for music. Clifford is now astonishingly alone, and for the first time in his life, unsure of what to do. For Theo and Rose, it's as if they've lost both of their parents. To further complicate an impossible situation, heavy commitments that will further his reputation and career for years to come loom for Clifford as a keynote speaker and performer at a major international music conference in China. Frozen in place by the brilliant glare of heartache, clouded by the shadows of doubt and propriety, the stunned trio reluctantly embark for that alien Asian destination, where distance, love, humor and exploration are not only their brightest hope of finding a new way of living, but the realization that Katherine Saunders has been with them the whole time.