There Was a Little Girl

“Shields writes with considerable reflection; she’s done the hard work of making sense of the contradictions in her mother, and now we get the benefit of her sharing what she’s learned.”—Kirkus Reviews“Shields writes vividly and humorously about her mother’s life growing up in Depression-era Newark; her days as a flirtatious coat-check girl and her short-lived marriage to Brooke’s father, Frank Shields, who came from aristocratic stock…. The book reads like a parent’s heartfelt and exasperated lament—but the irony here is that her mother is the one behaving like the problem child.”—The Independent (London)   “A brutally frank recollection of Shields’ career path, romances, marriages and entry into motherhood, but the basic thesis of the book is a deep examination of her intense relationship with her own mother, Teri Schmon Shields—a woman who molded Brooke’s life, both personal and professional, for decades.”—Chicago Sun-Times   “An emotionally raw memoir.”—USA Today

Brooke Shields is an award-winning actress and a Princeton graduate with honors in French Literature. She starred in iconic films such as Pretty Baby, The Blue Lagoon, and Endless Love. She is a renowned model and starred in the long-running TV show Suddenly Susan and the critically acclaimed Lipstick Jungle. She wrote Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old, the New York Times bestseller Down Came the Rain and also penned two childrens books. She lives in New York City with her husband, writer and producer Chris Henchy, and their two daughters.