Hugging the Rock

the long version

Rachel retreats into herself--away from the father who has always kept his distance, away from school, and away from her best friend. Rachel’s mom says that her dad is a rock, the good kind you can always count on. But Rachel doesn’t even know if he really loves her. And she doesn’t know the secrets he’s kept since before she was born. Slowly, over time, Rachel grows close to the parent who stayed and comes to understand the truth of why her mom left. This bittersweet story of loss and revelation reveals the powerful and complex bond between fathers and daughters.