I'm Glad My Mom Died: Discussion Guide + Resources
About the Book
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 – all the 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.
About the Author
Jennette Michelle Faye McCurdy is an American writer, director, podcaster, singer and former actress. McCurdy's breakthrough role as Sam Puckett in the Nickelodeon sitcom iCarly earned her various awards, including four Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
Discussion Questions
1. Depending on your age, you may have grown up watching Jennette McCurdy, or you may have never heard of her. How did this affect your reading of the book?
2. The title – turn on or turn off? Why do you think McCurdy chose this title?
3. Of all the red flags in McCurdy’s relationship with her mom, which do you think was the reddest?
4. How did you respond to McCurdy’s therapy journey?
5. Despite the sometimes disturbing content of the book, it is also funny in parts. Why do you think McCurdy chose to joke about some of her experiences?
Other Resources
Jennette McCurdy is Glad Her Mom Died -- Celebrity Memoir Book Club -- Full Episode - YouTube
Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died has tough questions for Nickelodeon Kids. (slate.com)
Jennette McCurdy - “I’m Glad My Mom Died” | The Daily Show - YouTube
Jennette McCurdy’s New Two-Book Deal Includes A Debut Novel (elitedaily.com)
Best of the Year: The 14 Best Celebrity Memoirs of 2022 | Audible.com
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