Jackie is the story of a young man for whom every system in place to help him failed him tremendously. Jackie’s life at home and during his brief stint in public school was both unforgettable and heartbreaking. His absentee father was barely around and barely interested in his “strange” child and the only source of calm in his life, his mother, divided much of her time between shift work as a waitress and male suitors. At school Jackie is bored, bullied, and finally given the label du jour, "mentally challenged." As much as this story is about Jackie, Sam Newsome perfectly weaves in the story of his reluctant third-grade friend Jimmie, who appears later in Jackie’s life when his mom falls ill. Jimmie resented being forced to look after Jackie during this brief stint together in third grade and humiliates Jackie to garner favor with the more popular peers, and then barely notices his withdrawal from school.

What is so great about Jackie is just how exquisitely Sam Newsome reminds us that having exceptional gifts or special abilities isn’t always about quantifiable intelligence. With the proper nurturing, as Jackie is finally given at the hands of his former friend Jimmie, Jackie’s unique skills allow him to build a real life as a functioning member of society. It is quite clear early on that this story isn’t just about Jackie, but all the Jackies we have come across, ignored, or half-heartedly attempted to help before getting on with our normal lives. When Jimmie and Jackie cross paths again, Jimmie has not reached his full potential and uses Jackie’s unique talent to great effect.

Jackie is a touching story that forces us all to reevaluate our education system and exactly how we attempt to ignore, discard, and pigeonhole those with an unconventional way of viewing the world.

Jackie Rogers is a special kid but nobody at school thinks so. He’s the target of narrow minded bullies. Good thing he has a friend in Jimmie. In third grade Jimmie, hoping to increase his popularity, humiliated Jackie. That was the last they saw of each other. Now, years later, Jimmie is working for the Department of Social Services and he meets Jackie again. Hoping to redeem himself, and with a little persuasion from his boss, Jimmie decided to help care for Jackie. While doing this, he discovers a unique and rare talent that Jackie has and wants to help nurture it. Jackie by Sam Newsome is an inspiring story of kindness, second chances, and treating others a little better.

Definitely don't judge a book by its cover. The cover art seems understated and discreet but the story is just wonderful. Jackie’s inconspicuous and nobody pays attention to him anymore, but he’s really an amazing person. It just takes someone to believe and help him. Jackie is one of those books that will resonate with the reader long after they finished reading it. Every chapter was written exquisitely and the story was fascinating. A lot of new scenes and characters were introduced in the beginning, but it all came together beautifully. And the ending was totally unexpected. I can’t stop thinking about what happened. I don’t know if I am happy or sad, but I know I feel inspired. This book made me laugh, cry, and hope. Sam Newsome is definitely a talented writer and storyteller.

Many years ago, while in third grade, two little boys met. Jackson Rogers was the mentally challenged kid who was either ignored, laughed at, or teased by other kids at school while James Gentry was the boy paired with Jackson by the teacher, the same boy who ended Jackson's school life. As fate would have it, when Jimmie got his first job, one of the houses he had to visit in a verification exercise just happened to be Jackie's. The two bonded when Jackie was placed in Jimmie's care while his mother was in hospital. It was during this time that Jimmie discovered Jackie's secret talent, a talent so special and so powerful that it would go on to change both young men's personal and professional lives; but not without several challenges to overcome and a devastating tragedy.

Jackie by Sam Newsome is a fiction story about how a chance meeting can change your life if you embrace it, and how a young man whose life seemed to have ended before it even started, due to mental disabilities, touched and changed so many lives. The book highlights how having a strong support system in the form of loving friends and family can make such a huge difference in one's life and even in the lives of those that give their unconditional love and support. The book has interesting twists and turns and also a good dose of triumphs and tragedy, with an end that I never saw coming

Jackie, a novel written by Sam Newsome, is about the life of a young man diagnosed as autistic, and to make matters worse, his family life is in shambles. Jackie’s father is an alcoholic who eventually abandons his family. Jackie is bullied in school, where he is paired with his classmate Jimmie, who is assigned by the teacher to help Jackie at restroom or recess time. When Jackie is deemed unfit for regular school and assigned to homeschooling, the boys lost contact for thirteen years. After college, Jimmie finds a job at the Department of Social Services, and is reunited with Jackie. When Jackie’s mother suffered a stroke, Jimmie spends more time with him and discovers that Jackie has a special ability that can be his ticket to a better life.

Jackie is an inspiring story of love and friendship involving a person with a disability. Author Sam Newsome certainly knows his subject and he absolutely has his heart in it. The author’s writing style is descriptive and the narrative is character driven. As Jackie’s life unravels, it is difficult not to think about the people who are in the same position as he is, and who are not getting the assistance that they desperately need. This novel should open the reader’s eyes to the plight of those who are like Jackie and by writing this story, the author perhaps holds the hope in his heart for everyone to shower them with more love and understanding. Here is a tale of love and friendship that results in dreams being fulfilled, only to be snatched away in the end. I highly recommend this book to readers of all ages.

Jackie by Sam Newsome takes us into the life of a man who was born into an unfortunate life. Jackie has been labeled as someone who is mentally challenged from an early age. When you take that and heap on top of it abuse at home and bullies in school, it is no wonder that things are just miserable for Jackie. It does not take long for teachers to label Jackie as someone who can't be educated and so he is put into homeschooling, which works no better. This leaves Jackie with no formal education to speak of, and this is how he has to make a life.

This book took me on a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride. Jackie really has no luck to speak of for the first part of his life. Things get better when an old college educated classmate named Jimmie comes into his life though, and that is where things really do start to feel better and they get better as well. Without giving away too much of the story, Jimmie and Jackie find that Jackie is not as “dumb” as people thought and he has a special ability that just needs to be harnessed the right way. Once it is, the friends go on a wild ride where they uncover corruption in the local government. This is a story about destiny and overcoming labels, and it is well written. It has a great flow to it and Sam Newsome knows how to flesh out wonderful, rich characters full of life and flaws like those of us in real life. I am more than happy to recommend this book to fellow readers.

Jackie by Sam Newsome takes us into the life of a man who was born into an unfortunate life. Jackie has been labeled as someone who is mentally challenged from an early age. When you take that and heap on top of it abuse at home and bullies in school, it is no wonder that things are just miserable for Jackie. It does not take long for teachers to label Jackie as someone who can't be educated and so he is put into homeschooling, which works no better. This leaves Jackie with no formal education to speak of, and this is how he has to make a life.

This book took me on a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride. Jackie really has no luck to speak of for the first part of his life. Things get better when an old college educated classmate named Jimmie comes into his life though, and that is where things really do start to feel better and they get better as well. Without giving away too much of the story, Jimmie and Jackie find that Jackie is not as “dumb” as people thought and he has a special ability that just needs to be harnessed the right way. Once it is, the friends go on a wild ride where they uncover corruption in the local government. This is a story about destiny and overcoming labels, and it is well written. It has a great flow to it and Sam Newsome knows how to flesh out wonderful, rich characters full of life and flaws like those of us in real life. I am more than happy to recommend this book to fellow readers.