Redwood Court by DéLana R. A. Dameron

REDWOOD COURT by DéLana R. A. Dameron has a creative cover and was chosen as a Reese’s Book Club Pick, plus it has received accolades from talented writers like Ann Napolitano (Hello Beautiful), Renee Watson (Piecing Me Together) and Jacqueline Woodson (Red at the Bone). And, Dameron’s series of stories about multiple generations of a Black family living at Redwood Court in Columbia, South Carolina is in some ways reminiscent of their family novels. But Dameron’s work seemed more complicated. For example, she finds it necessary to introduce her many characters in a list which became a handy reference for me because I found it difficult to clearly picture the characters and to remember how they were originally connected to each other. It was also a challenge to relate to a suburban enclave where (perhaps reflecting the 1960s time period, or the culture, or even the sheer determination of one woman named Weesie) neighbors seemed to be overly involved in each other’s business. The publisher says that this text from an established poet “is a celebration of extraordinary, ordinary people striving to achieve their own American dreams.” Perhaps something will strike a chord with you?