A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.
Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.
In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly, she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.
Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.
Summary
I’m Glad My Mom Died is the memoir of Jennette McCurdy, an actress many people my age will know primarily through her roles as Sam Puckett in the Nickelodeon show iCarly and later in Sam & Cat. However, after listening to her memoirs in audiobook form, narrated by none other than herself, I’m definitely looking to remove that association.
It is a truly eye-opening book for those like me, who grew up idolizing the Nickelodeon teenagers, both their characters and the perceived lives they led. It describes Jennette’s childhood and rise to child actress stardom in the midst of a dysfunctional family, as well as the struggle to break away from the association with iCarly and learning to navigate the world as a young woman whose upbringing was like few others.
Review
Growing up, I was a huge fan of iCarly. It was the main show I watched on Nickelodeon, followed closely behind by the spin-off Sam & Cat. Jennette McCurdy was one of my childhood crushes, and I always imagined her to be a bit rough, edgy, and overly self-confident, much like her iCarly character. After growing up, I mostly just imagined her as any other set-for-life celebrity whose life is mostly filled with rich-person problems like drug addiction and tax evasion.
Listening to her memoirs was not only eye-opening, but almost gave me whiplash in how wrong I was. In 2026, looking back, one might expect the typical “stage parent” story that has unfortunately become all too common with child actors. Those who are more familiar with Nickelodeon and Dan Schneider’s controversies in particular might expect to learn more about the harassment allegations and inappropriate on-set behaviours.
The book leans into both of these topics, but I was surprised to find that the primary story it told was that of a young girl, uncertain of herself, growing up in an abusive household, trying to do what’s best for her family, and ultimately succumbing to and trying to escape the compulsive coping behaviours that manifested as a result. Jennette’s superstardom in iCarly is almost incidental to the story. Her upbringing amplifies some situations that a regular teenager might find herself in, while drowning out others. In that, her story is unique, but her situation is almost painfully relatable.
What makes this book incredible is that it’s believable. It feels real. It feels like it comes from the heart. And it’s clear that Jennette is an incredibly talented woman looking for a creative outlet. She expresses her frustration with being denied the chance to write as a hobby during her childhood, as well as the chance to branch out from acting into a producer role. Her later work, producing short films like Kenny and The Grave; The McCurdys, as well as her (just released!) debut novel Half His Age, underlines these desires and well and truly makes I’m Glad My Mom Died feel like a passionately written narrative retelling.
The audiobook version of these memoirs is also excellent. Jennette narrates the book herself, mostly sticking to a matter-of-fact, monotone intonation, which highlights both the absurdity and sadness of many of the scenes in the book and illustrates both heavy-hitting moments and punchlines alike. More than that, the few scenes in which Jennette’s voice cracks or shivers feel all the more chilling as a result.
Rating
I’ve recently become quite fond of reading non-fiction and memoirs. The more I read them, the more I seem to realize that almost nobody lives a truly normal life. And often, the most famous people are those with the most disturbing upbringings. It brings me a little bit of peace to be able to place the significance of my own personal day-to-day struggles firmly below these types of grandiose mental health arcs. However, I do also genuinely feel for people like McCurdy, who certainly wasn’t dealt an easy hand in life, and I’m extremely interested to see where she will go next.
I’m Glad My Mom Died is a beautiful book because it executes what it sets out to do perfectly. A successful child actress who was beloved by an entire generation releases her memoirs with a bombshell title, and captures the audience with a relatable retelling of childhood trauma, teenage struggles, and young adult reflection and self-discovery.
I’m rating it five stars, and would recommend it to nearly everyone. If you’ve heard of Jennette, if you’ve watched a Nickelodeon show, if you’re interested in the upbringing of a famous child actress who never wanted to act, or if you’re just a young person struggling with mental health or eating disorders, this book is an amazing read.