Book Series Guide
Jennette McCurdy

Author guide

Jennette McCurdy Books in Order

Jennette McCurdy is an American writer, director, and former actor known for her work on iCarly and Sam & Cat. She is the author of the memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died and the novel Half His Age.

memoirliterary fiction

Catalog record updated .

Jennette McCurdy's Newest Book

Cover of Half His Age

Half His Age

novel · First published 2026

Waldo is ravenous. Horny. Blunt. Naive. Wise. Impulsive. Lonely. Angry. Forceful. Hurting. Perceptive. Endlessly wanting. And the thing she wants most of all: Mr. Korgy, her creative writing teacher with the wife and the kid and the mortgage and the bills, with the dead dreams and the atrophied looks and the growing paunch. She doesn’t know why she wants him. Is it his passion? His life experience? The fact that he knows books and films and things that she doesn’t? Or is it purer than that, rooted in their unlikely connection, their kindred spirits, the similar filter with which they each take in the world around them? Or, perhaps, it’s just enough that he sees her when no one else does. Startlingly perceptive, mordantly funny, and keenly poignant, Half His Age is a rich character study of a yearning seventeen-year-old who disregards all obstacles—or attempts to overcome them—in her effort to be seen, to be desired, to be loved.

Not sure where to begin?

Start with one of these

Cover of I'm Glad My Mom Died

I'm Glad My Mom Died

McCurdy's first published book and her foundational memoir.

Outside the series

Bibliography by category

Novels (1)
  1. Half His Age

    novel · 2026

    Waldo is ravenous. Horny. Blunt. Naive. Wise. Impulsive. Lonely. Angry. Forceful. Hurting. Perceptive. Endlessly wanting. And the thing she wants most of all: Mr. Korgy, her creative writing teacher with the wife and the kid and the…

Nonfiction (1)
  1. I'm Glad My Mom Died

    memoir · 2022

    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…

Frequently asked questions about Jennette McCurdy

Who is Jennette McCurdy?

Jennette McCurdy is an American writer, director, and former actor who began acting at age eight. She became widely known for playing Sam Puckett on Nickelodeon’s iCarly and Sam & Cat before establishing herself as an author.

Sources: apnews.com (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)

Why did Jennette McCurdy quit acting?

McCurdy has said that acting was primarily her mother’s dream rather than her own. After her mother’s death, therapy and personal reflection helped her leave acting and pursue writing and directing.

Sources: latimes.com (opens in a new tab)time.com (opens in a new tab)

How did Jennette McCurdy’s life influence her writing?

Her experiences with child stardom, family control, grief, and recovery became important material for her memoir and later creative work. McCurdy has described writing as a way to find her voice and regain power over her story.

Sources: news.vcu.edu (opens in a new tab)latimes.com (opens in a new tab)

What awards has Jennette McCurdy received?

Her memoir I’m Glad My Mom Died received the 2023 American Library Association Alex Award and won the 2022 Goodreads Choice Award for Memoir & Autobiography. As an actor, she also won Nickelodeon’s 2011 Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite TV Sidekick.

Sources: ala.org (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)prnewswire.com (opens in a new tab)

What is Jennette McCurdy’s legacy?

McCurdy’s career reflects a notable transition from child television star to an author and screen creator addressing trauma, identity, and the pressures of fame. Her memoir’s continuing reach—including a planned Apple TV+ adaptation—has helped bring difficult aspects of child stardom into broader public discussion.

Sources: apnews.com (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)