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Little Girl Lost
She was a modern-day Shirley Temple, but at the age of nine Drew Barrymore was drinking alcohol. At ten she took up marijuana, and by twelve she began snorting cocaine. Here is her gripping, heart-wrenching story--a story of a childhood gone awry and a young woman battling to restore order to her chaotic life.
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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About the author
Drew Barrymore
20 books970 followersDrew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film producer, director, photographer, entrepreneur, and author. She is a descendant of the Barrymore family of well-known American stage and cinema actors. In 1982, her first major roll was in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial which made her one of the most famous child stars of the time. She has been a CoverGirl spokeswoman, an Ambassador Against Hunger, posed nude for Playboy and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Barrymore is the co-founder of the production company Flower Films. She is also the founder of Flower Beauty, a line of low cost, high quality beauty products.
Barrymore married her third husband art consultant Will Kopelman in 2012. They have two daughters.
Barrymore married her third husband art consultant Will Kopelman in 2012. They have two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews
February 2, 2011
The first time I read this book I was 14 or so. Being around the same age as Drew Barrymore, I found her life & what she had been through fascinating being so young; just as she was.
I always remembered how much I enjoyed the book, so 15 yrs later I looked high & low at the local libraries for a copy & reread it. For me it held up at age 30 just as it had as a teen.
Being 15-16 yrs of age when she wrote this, of course her writing skills throughout the book aren't that of her co-writer Todd Gold, but I feel she holds her own.
The honesty & open style of her words are what holds the reader's interest. Whether you're a fan of Ms. Barrymore's or not, to read the words of such a young, fragile girl & what her experiences up to that point in her life had been will keep the interest of anyone that is a fan of autobiographies. The relationship she had with her wannabe actress mother & alcoholic father & the effects it had on her self esteem are something a lot of people can relate to. Not to mention the added attention that was mostly negative from her peers at school because of her success.
All in all I feel that this autobiographical account of what can happen to a young person when thrust into the spotlight is a great read. While short in length it is relatable in many ways. Dysfunctional parental relationships, jealousy of success from family & peers, & most of all trying to figure out how to come out on top through it all; which is something most of us strive for.
A definite in my top 5 for autobiographies.
I always remembered how much I enjoyed the book, so 15 yrs later I looked high & low at the local libraries for a copy & reread it. For me it held up at age 30 just as it had as a teen.
Being 15-16 yrs of age when she wrote this, of course her writing skills throughout the book aren't that of her co-writer Todd Gold, but I feel she holds her own.
The honesty & open style of her words are what holds the reader's interest. Whether you're a fan of Ms. Barrymore's or not, to read the words of such a young, fragile girl & what her experiences up to that point in her life had been will keep the interest of anyone that is a fan of autobiographies. The relationship she had with her wannabe actress mother & alcoholic father & the effects it had on her self esteem are something a lot of people can relate to. Not to mention the added attention that was mostly negative from her peers at school because of her success.
All in all I feel that this autobiographical account of what can happen to a young person when thrust into the spotlight is a great read. While short in length it is relatable in many ways. Dysfunctional parental relationships, jealousy of success from family & peers, & most of all trying to figure out how to come out on top through it all; which is something most of us strive for.
A definite in my top 5 for autobiographies.
July 31, 2012
I was gripped by her tale of getting into and out of addiction. Although she was only 14 when she wrote the book, it reads as if an adult wrote the account. She started drinking at age 9, smoking pot at age 10, and sniffing coke by 12. Barrymore is very candid and vulnerable, with a surprising maturity for such a young age. She doesn't feel sorry for herself or celebrate her partying days with gratuitous details. Her intention is to explain the difficulties of addiction and try to help others, as well as to give an honest account before others smeared her name with false assumptions and inaccuracies. Part of it was clearly a career move, but I appreciated it nevertheless, and I thought it was very admirable to provide such an honest and helpful admission. Plus, who better to tell the tale than Drew herself?
Even though it was written many years ago, I think it would benefit both those struggling in addiction as well as the ones who help them. I particularly enjoyed some of the journals that she shared from rehab, and her changing perceptions of her father. This piece I related to the most, since at first, she so badly wanted her father to be her hero and a faithful, loving father. In the end, she had to accept him for who he was, which offered great peace in her life. It was a good reminder for me about relationships in life. And, even if you aren't struggling with addiction, she still has some great insights about life and people that can apply to anyone.
Even though it was written many years ago, I think it would benefit both those struggling in addiction as well as the ones who help them. I particularly enjoyed some of the journals that she shared from rehab, and her changing perceptions of her father. This piece I related to the most, since at first, she so badly wanted her father to be her hero and a faithful, loving father. In the end, she had to accept him for who he was, which offered great peace in her life. It was a good reminder for me about relationships in life. And, even if you aren't struggling with addiction, she still has some great insights about life and people that can apply to anyone.
March 25, 2024
Thoughtful and raw, this book was very eye-opening. It was released when Drew was just 14 years old. Her story is incredible and I’m so proud of her for overcoming such difficult obstacles. A 5 star read that I couldn’t put down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 3, 2020
A pretty wild story especially considering she wrote it at just 14 years old. While I’m sure the book might’ve been written a little better had she been older when she wrote it, it was interesting to get a glimpse into her life not long after the start of her battle with drugs and alcohol.
June 5, 2016
Drew Barrymore captured the hearts of the world, as the adorable wide eyed seven year old Gertie, in ET, in 1982.
Barrymore was born into the acting profession, coming from a long line of acting talent extending back nearly 200 years
Faced with an abusive father, the execrable and vicious degenerate John Drew Barrymore( it is shocking to read of the physical and emotional abuse he subjected the little girl to) , a mother who was not always there, and nasty schoolmates, she drifted into the company of an older crowd and began her descent into drugs and alcohol by nine, when she began drinking alcohol, began smoking marijuana by ten (offered it by a friend's mother),and was snorting cocaine at twelve. She also craved the approval of boys on whom her self-esteem depended.
This is her story of why she took refuge from her unhappy young life in parties, alcohol and drugs, and her difficult and painful rehabilitation. but she succeeded. I found myself really feeling Drew's pain and empathized with what she went through.
Drew wanted to be an actress by five.
I really admired how she told her abusive pig of a father to get out of her life, when she was eight, after achieving success in E.T
She also tells of her work on movies such as Firestarter, Irreconcilable Differences,Babes in Toyland and Far From Home.
Drew talks about the support given to her by Steven Spielberg who she says gave her the best advice she ever been given on acting : "Drew, you can't act your character, you gotta be your character."
She made it though and in by 16 had cleaned up her life, to go on to a string of successes in a series comedies and dramas . By the late 90's her bubbly personality made such movies as Ever After, The Wedding Singer. Charlies Angels and Never Been Kissed a lot of fun and charming to watch.
It is a sad story of a child whose life was marred by what no child should go through, but who overcame her self-destructive habits and proved those who said she was burned out at 13, so wrong. How she repaired her life is incredibly inspirational. Drew is offering advice to young actresses entering rehab these days: ""If you don't pull it together for yourself, no one else will," she says in the March issue of Vogue. "That's coming from a person who had to try it all ... and who still loves to have a good time."
Barrymore was born into the acting profession, coming from a long line of acting talent extending back nearly 200 years
Faced with an abusive father, the execrable and vicious degenerate John Drew Barrymore( it is shocking to read of the physical and emotional abuse he subjected the little girl to) , a mother who was not always there, and nasty schoolmates, she drifted into the company of an older crowd and began her descent into drugs and alcohol by nine, when she began drinking alcohol, began smoking marijuana by ten (offered it by a friend's mother),and was snorting cocaine at twelve. She also craved the approval of boys on whom her self-esteem depended.
This is her story of why she took refuge from her unhappy young life in parties, alcohol and drugs, and her difficult and painful rehabilitation. but she succeeded. I found myself really feeling Drew's pain and empathized with what she went through.
Drew wanted to be an actress by five.
I really admired how she told her abusive pig of a father to get out of her life, when she was eight, after achieving success in E.T
She also tells of her work on movies such as Firestarter, Irreconcilable Differences,Babes in Toyland and Far From Home.
Drew talks about the support given to her by Steven Spielberg who she says gave her the best advice she ever been given on acting : "Drew, you can't act your character, you gotta be your character."
She made it though and in by 16 had cleaned up her life, to go on to a string of successes in a series comedies and dramas . By the late 90's her bubbly personality made such movies as Ever After, The Wedding Singer. Charlies Angels and Never Been Kissed a lot of fun and charming to watch.
It is a sad story of a child whose life was marred by what no child should go through, but who overcame her self-destructive habits and proved those who said she was burned out at 13, so wrong. How she repaired her life is incredibly inspirational. Drew is offering advice to young actresses entering rehab these days: ""If you don't pull it together for yourself, no one else will," she says in the March issue of Vogue. "That's coming from a person who had to try it all ... and who still loves to have a good time."
April 30, 2018
I have always loved Drew Barrymore - she's close to my age, and I've followed her movies since ET. I snapped up this book as soon as it came out in paperback and have read and re-read it more times than I can count.
I remember reading about Drew's escapades in the tabloids when I was a teenager, so I was eager to read her story from her point of view - I was, and continue to be impressed with how honest and strong Drew is. There's not a lot of sugar-coating here, and the addition of her relapse after she wrote what she thought was the last chapter showed just how difficult addiction can be to beat.
2018 update: I re-read this immediately after reading Wildflower, and found it interesting to compare the two versions of some items that came up in both books - and also how Drew characterized her time in the hospital in Wildflower. It gives quite a different impression than Little Girl Lost. Overall, this was better written (thanks to a ghostwriter), and more gripping, both due to content and the more linear nature of this story.
I remember reading about Drew's escapades in the tabloids when I was a teenager, so I was eager to read her story from her point of view - I was, and continue to be impressed with how honest and strong Drew is. There's not a lot of sugar-coating here, and the addition of her relapse after she wrote what she thought was the last chapter showed just how difficult addiction can be to beat.
2018 update: I re-read this immediately after reading Wildflower, and found it interesting to compare the two versions of some items that came up in both books - and also how Drew characterized her time in the hospital in Wildflower. It gives quite a different impression than Little Girl Lost. Overall, this was better written (thanks to a ghostwriter), and more gripping, both due to content and the more linear nature of this story.
September 2, 2023
I'm giving this five stars because to be put through the memoir process when you are 13 and 14 and currently in rehab, IS A CRIME, and so Drew deserves the stars. But the ghostwriter, Todd Gold, is my ENEMY! You hear me Todd?! If you are reading this I challenge you to a DUEL! Of words. Or swords. YOUR CHOICE. Meet me on twitch like a Tomi Lahren vs Trevor Noah debate in early 2016 when people still thought things like that were sassy and noble. It will be fun! Jk, it won't! I am so mad, HOW DARE YOU!
March 19, 2013
I was hesitant to read the book at first, not wanting to think of "Gertie" as an underaged drug user and alcoholic. But the story is more than just that. Drew goes into the details of her hard and emotionally lacking relationship with her parents, and how she struggles with being honest with sobriety at the tender age of 12. It's a heart breaking story of a real-life Hollywood child star whose life spirals out of control before barely making it through puberty.
April 22, 2012
Read this as a teen and I should have taken it as a cautionary tale and learned and not repeated her mistakes. Instead however I had to make all my own mistakes and now I think maybe I should have paid more attention to her memoir. It is so crazy since she got sober at like 15 I think that she was able to write a memoir and stay sober so long! Really quite a story and pretty inspiring.
January 27, 2012
This was a phenomenal book written by Drew Barrymore. I read this in grade 7 and remember being very impressed with her story. It gave a lot of insight of what she went through as a child star her issues with drugs and how she came through the ordeal. Highly inspiring.
January 11, 2019
I wasn't sure if I would like this book since it was written so long ago and by someone so young, but it stands the test of time. It is such a riveting story that I found I couldn't put it down. Even though I knew the outcome of this story I still was so invested in her journey through unhappiness and addiction. At the close of the book, she has made it through treatment and has been given the skills to help her stay clean. I think it's an important story to be shared and I am so glad that she shared it.
July 2, 2009
I have been a huge fan of Drew Barrymore for as long as I can remember. Her childhood and teenage years were unlike anything most people can imagine. To make it through all of that and become the incredible person she is now is amazing and inspirational.
September 23, 2012
I have always liked Drew Barrymore - Even more after knowing more of her struggles. With a famous family like hers, a career that started so young, the drugs so available....
August 20, 2022
Review to follow
July 14, 2023
4 for Drew’s own account.
2 for the the People magazine correspondent that helped write the book. His sections were trite and frankly read like a surface level People article.
2 for the the People magazine correspondent that helped write the book. His sections were trite and frankly read like a surface level People article.
April 11, 2025
Quite controversial; I loved Drew’s part but the journalist’s stance pissed me off a bit as it was clearly not objective and trying to shed a bettering light on the mother - who I think does not own up enough to everything. Otherwise, quick read.
April 19, 2012
Someone on a blog I read mentioned this book, so I finally got around to picking it up even though it's very old and very out dated. This is the autobio that Drew Barrymore wrote about herself at like the age of 15 in 1990. It's so weird to think about this now, but she did some horrible shit in the 1980's that most people my age and younger have no idea about. Her mom wanted to be an actress, but since that didn't really work out, she sort of but not really pushed her daughter into it. The whole relationship was super fucked up. And it's not like Drew didn't go through things that all kids did! We all wanted to be liked and be in a grown-up world when we were kids. The big difference is that our parents said NO and didn't let us, while her mom did. She bottoms out like twice in the book before it ends, so I have no idea what happened after that. I mean, we all know she gets clean because she is like rockin' right now, but between like her bottom out days and like Never Been Kissed and Ever After, which were like her "come back" movies, what happened in between? Oddly, I didn't even look it up because I kind of don't care.
I did like the format of this book, alternating between Drew talking and another writer writing about situations from a 3rd person point of view. Gave the whole thing a little more dimension.
I did like the format of this book, alternating between Drew talking and another writer writing about situations from a 3rd person point of view. Gave the whole thing a little more dimension.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2015
I get that young Miss Barrymore had a co-writer as she was just fifteen at the time it was published. However it read like it was someone else's voice entirely. It read 'off' to me. As if someone else wrote it and had the young actress skim it and give it her stamp of approval.
Further, and this is obviously just a theory, it struck me as if it not only was not written at all by a fifteen-year-old girl and a helpful co-writer, but written by Todd Gold and Jaid Barrymore. There was very little responsibility taken by Jaid and the frequent asides that were included by her were distracting, defensive, and inappropriate considering this was supposed to be her daughter's memoir. Not to mention the constant jumping in of the co-author's voice. It was annoying and unnecessary. I've never seen this employed in a memoir or autobiography and I hope to never encounter it again.
Further, and this is obviously just a theory, it struck me as if it not only was not written at all by a fifteen-year-old girl and a helpful co-writer, but written by Todd Gold and Jaid Barrymore. There was very little responsibility taken by Jaid and the frequent asides that were included by her were distracting, defensive, and inappropriate considering this was supposed to be her daughter's memoir. Not to mention the constant jumping in of the co-author's voice. It was annoying and unnecessary. I've never seen this employed in a memoir or autobiography and I hope to never encounter it again.
September 14, 2009
I always wondered what the circumstances were that led 9-year-old Drew Barrymore to turn to alcohol and then later drugs. And now I know: a perfect storm combination of depression, insecurity and her inept mother. For some reason Jaid Barrymore thought it a good idea to let a 9-year-old, albeit a precocious one, accompany her to clubs and gave her more social freedom than most parents (including mine) allow for teenagers. So it's no wonder a kid with a family history of depression, alcohol and drug abuse would turn to self-medicating at such a young age. Though this is poorly written, it's a fairly interesting read considering the co-author was 14 years-old at the time.
March 5, 2009
I first read this book when I was twelve years old. Yes, I still have it. In fact, I reread it about a year ago. It is still the crappiest autobiography I have ever read, but I can never throw it out. It is like the first tangible symbol of our media culture feeding off celebrities. Also, I like to read about Drew Barrymore getting high. It cracks me up.
January 3, 2015
I loved that at the end of this book I could fill in the blanks of the next 20 years. No longer talking to mom, no relapses and a successful actress again. I wish she'd go back and do an update, of course, if I were Drew, I would want to edit out the pictures of me with the Coreys.
July 1, 2017
Drew has always been my favorite actress, ever since my favorite movie, E.T., came out. I knew she was a wild child but I didn't know the extent of her addiction. This is a raw, honest look into her childhood and her recovery.
January 24, 2013
I learned more naughty stuff from this book than Are You There God...? Loved it as a preteen, I think I checked it out from the library 3 times.
September 30, 2015
Fascinating and sad.
March 5, 2019
I read this book when I was I was a teen struggling, and it really spoke to me. Loved this book and will have to re read it.
March 4, 2023
The struggle to find a copy of this book
So worth it such a beautiful soul even when fighting her own demons
🌹❤️
So worth it such a beautiful soul even when fighting her own demons
🌹❤️
March 7, 2025
Drew Barrymore is one of those celebrities I love. She seems down to earth and to radiate genuine kindness.
This memoir is honest, sadly it was published when she was quite young and it's very poorly written. It's repetitive and very much reads like the adaptation of a teen journal. It wasn't a pleasant reading experience and the bits by Todd Gold aren't of much interest either, they seemed to interrupt the natural flow of the story. Nonetheless it's easy to sympathise with young Drew. I would love to hear about her past struggle from a more mature standpoint but I don't particularly recommend this book.
This memoir is honest, sadly it was published when she was quite young and it's very poorly written. It's repetitive and very much reads like the adaptation of a teen journal. It wasn't a pleasant reading experience and the bits by Todd Gold aren't of much interest either, they seemed to interrupt the natural flow of the story. Nonetheless it's easy to sympathise with young Drew. I would love to hear about her past struggle from a more mature standpoint but I don't particularly recommend this book.
June 21, 2021
I love Drew Barrymore and addiction memoirs so it’s surprising I never picked this up before now. The story itself was told by Drew (13 / 14 at the time) and a journalist she trusted. It was sort of repetitive, but addiction can be that way. She was so YOUNG. I felt so sad for her, and also incredibly impressed by her bravery.
Did you know that when Elliott is trying to make Gertie believe “only kids can see” ET and she rolls her eyes and says “Gimmee a break,” that was all Drew? She improvised. She was six years old.
Did you know that when Elliott is trying to make Gertie believe “only kids can see” ET and she rolls her eyes and says “Gimmee a break,” that was all Drew? She improvised. She was six years old.
January 5, 2021
I read this after watching one of her movies and finding out she was the same girl as in ET all those years before. The story was gripping, even if the writing was a bit uneven. There's a lot of interesting discussion about her complicated relationships with her parents. It's amazing that she had basically lived a complete redemption arc by the time she was 14.
August 31, 2024
Todd Gold’s over the top National Enquirer style ruined his parts.
Other than that, this was a wild self-examining case study of how childhood abuse from many directions can contribute to mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
Other than that, this was a wild self-examining case study of how childhood abuse from many directions can contribute to mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 248 reviews