I wound up liking this way more than I expected. If I’m being honest I don’t think I would’ve picked this up on my own if it hadn’t been sent to me. I try not to judge a book by its cover but this cover didn’t stand out to me as something I would normally reach for. I’m glad I did get the chance to read it though, I think White gives a great insight into his experience as a child actor. He really delves into what it’s like to lose your identity to the character you play and the weird parasocial relationship between who society thinks we know and who’s really there.

You can tell he’s a writer, this is very well written and is a compelling story; I enjoy the nonlinear storyline and how immersive his storytelling feels. He tells the story of Hollywood and the dehumanization so many people within it experience in such a real way, it hits pretty hard. One quote I’ll leave off with that stuck with me was this:

“Every entertainer needs to know how to conduct themselves when on the wrong side of a story that has gained fuel in the press. It’s not personal, you’re a headline. Clickbait. The monster needs to be fed.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Danielle Prielipp at Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of this eARC.

Growing up Urkel is an interesting look into a child star and what happens when it’s over. I found this book to be a series of random tales of life after Family Matters. Overall this is a really entertaining book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Growing Up Urkel
by Jaleel White

Now I grew up during the Family Matters era and when y Jaleel White career took off. I have also seen the aftermath of child star who couldn't escape the role he was typecast as.

This was seeing his childhood from his eyes, I really enjoyed it. As a fan of Family matters during the whole controversy I had hopped to have a little more inside info but that is not included and overall I am ok with it

I grew up watching Family Matters on Friday nights in the 90s and my favorite character on that show was Steve Urkel played by Jaleel White. There was just something about the nerdy kid next door that made him relatable. I listened to the audio of this book which is read by Jaleel. I enjoyed learning about his life before during and after the show. Thanks to his parents an the way he was raised he was a child star that become a successful adult.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Generously giving this book 3 stars, but really more of 2.5. The first 1/3 of the book I did enjoy and it could’ve ended there and while it would lacked substances, I probably would’ve rated it higher. But it didn’t end there and continued without really adding anything else outside of complaining about how everyone else prevented him from being more famous. Instead of walking away knowing more about Jaleel White as a person, I walked away slightly annoyed by him.

The first thing that I noticed was that cover. OMG Mr. White, it was very distracting. I enjoyed this memoir and loved getting a look behind-the-scenes at White’s life.

I loved having the insight into his world and the world of celebrity. I loved his life lessons and the structure of this memoir. Definitely worth the read!

In Growing up Urkel, Jaleel White has written his very first book about his life in this brand-new memoir. He is most known for his role in the 90s hit TV show, Family Matters. This show was largely made right behind the success of the Cosby Show and he felt that they thought they needed a Black family show on ABC. He was twelve years old when he auditioned for the role of Steve Urkel and part of the reason, he did it was to buy himself a Sega Genesis. It was supposed to be a guest role for one episode in the twelfth episode out of a thirteen series order. He was displayed as a nerd in high water pants, suspenders, and glasses. He enclosed the first part of the script of the show and how he asked Laura to the dance. He had his famous dance that pretty much everyone has seen. He was so well received that they reshot the promos to make him become a full season cast member. He shared how he was asked to do a reboot and he’s turned it down. He believes the script would be the same and the show dynamics wouldn’t work in today’s times. He also has appeared in a Netflix show, The Big Show Show, Big Fat Liar, different Sonic cartoons/movies, and recently Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and many guest roles.


I enjoyed reading this book about his life and how he touched on some of his acting and what he learned along the way. I would recommend this book to anyone who loved Family Matters or have seen him in other roles. It was interesting to learn about his time on Dancing with the Stars and how it led to a child support battle that took half of his earnings. He believes that if he didn’t ignore her first email then the pain not would have led to all of the drama. I appreciated how real he was in his journey and fans will connect with his story.


“I received this book free from the Simon & Schuster for my honest review.”

I was introduced to Family Matters via reruns of the sitcom on ABC Family as a kid. Like many, I found the show entertaining, largely because of the performance of Jaleel White as Steve Urkel. I’ll admit I don’t know much about White’s career, outside of that iconic role and his appearances on various unscripted shows over the years, so I was intrigued to learn more about his life via his new memoir.

To cut straight to the chase, there’s a lot of Family Matters talk in this book which will satisfy fans of the series. And while I found those stories interesting, the more fascinating parts of the book were the stories White shared about how his childhood was impacted by his fame and how his parents helped him navigate those challenges. We often hear stories about the negative impact of child stardom, so it was nice to read a more positive story.

Any fans of Family Matters or Jaleel White will certainly enjoy this book. Growing Up Urkel is out now. Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I normally love reading celebrity memoirs, and especially listening to the celebrity themself narrate the audiobook, but good lord this one was a trial to get through. Jaleel did a good job performing his novel, but the actual writing portion is where it was subpar.

There is so much repetition in this book (whether it be about how much he loves basketball, or repeating something that he literally just said 2 paragraphs ago) that it makes you feel like it's 500 pages versus 300. He also tries to make himself into a sympathetic character, but honestly he did the opposite and made me think "I can see why some of his old cast mates said he was a pill to work with". Anything and everything he can do to put blame onto someone else for the troubles he's experienced, he'll do it. People turning on him because he got mad at his Dancing with the Stars partner? Her fault, not his! Not able to win over girls when he was younger? It's only because his friends didn't play fair!

I really wanted to like this book and feel sympathy for Jaleel, who definitely has been reduced to being Urkel for the rest of his life, but he himself is the one who made a book that made him appear to be insufferable. So if you currently like him... stay away from this book, otherwise you'll hate him by the end of it.

I had such high hopes for this memoir but was ultimately disappointed. The beginning was very enjoyable, hearing about Jaleel getting the part of Steve Urkel on Family Matters (which was initially supposed to be a very minor character and became a main character due to his popularity with the audience). It was fun hearing about his experiences on the show, which I loved watching as a kid. I would have appreciated more behind the scenes insight to his relationship with other actors/characters on the show and quirky happenings on set. However, most of the book after that just felt like Jaleel complaining about his career misfortunes after Family Matters ended and blaming everyone but himself for unfortunate events in his life. He would occasionally try to take ownership of his actions or apologize for things he has done, typically in a single sentence, but then still continue to call others out as well. I do agree some of the events described were unfair to him but it almost seems like he wrote this memoir purely to shed light on these situations and seek revenge, which comes across as petty and bitter. The chapters also bounce around a lot, which was confusing (for example, there is zero mention of him having children, then out of nowhere mentions he has a daughter with no detail as to how or when it happened, mostly bringing it up to reference a dispute with her mother during his time on Dancing With The Stars). Although the memoir was not long, it felt like a slog to get through because of the reasons stated above. This read was not for me but could potentially be enjoyable for someone who absolutely loves Jaleel White and wants to hear more about his life. I personally was not a fan. Thank you to NetGalley, Jaleel White, and Simon & Schuster for the gifted ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

(3.5/5 stars)

Growing Up Urkel is a memoir by Jaleel White, who portrayed one of the most beloved icons of nineties television.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author, while following along in my physical review copy. There are several photos includes in the book, along with photo collage end-papers.

I grew up watching Family Matters. As a long-time fan, I appreciated the peek behind the curtain that was this memoir. He is very funny and seems to be pretty frank and honest. The industry is tough, and it really sucks that he was pretty pigeonholed into the "nerdy, awkward" stereotype.

This memoir is not structured chronologically. My brain likes things that lean more in that direction, so I struggled a bit with all of the jumping around in time.

I couldn't finish this book. I was so excited about it as well because I was a huge Family Matters fan. There was something about writing and the way Jaleel was consistently talking about the other comedy shows at the time that just turned me off from reading it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I grew up watching Family Matters and was very excited to hear White's adult point of view all threse years later. It did not disappoint.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Jaleel White for an ARC of this book!**

You know that feeling you get when you finish a truly impressive memoir and you feel like you actually KNOW the person?

Well...I DID get the feeling I knew Jaleel White after finishing his memoir...but unfortunately, knowing him and LIKING him are two very, VERY different things.

Jaleel skyrocketed to fame at an early age and perhaps the problems started there. What started as a bit role on the iconic 90's TGIF sitcom Family Matters turned into a role that would help shape and define his perceived persona for the rest of his career. White starred as Steve Urkel, a nerd who was equal parts laughable, lovable, and at times just plain irritating...but nevertheless, audiences loved him and much like Henry Winkler's Arthur "Fonz" Fonzerelli, Urkel quickly became both the face and the draw of the show itself. And for Family Matters fans, there is SOME content here regarding Jaleel's time on the show, his friendship with co-star Kellie Williams (love interest Laura Winslow on the show), and talk of the bonds the family shared etc., but there is hardly ANY time spent on any of the other cast members or fun behind the scenes stories. No, Jaleel would rather talk about how his pants eventually became, uh, tight and therefore inappropriate for the character, or tell snide stories about some of the adult cast members of Family Matters....which seems to me a lot less like any form of gratitude and more of a forum for him to 'air his grievances' about every form of injustice he feels he has perceived.

And trust me...THIS bitter, entitled, and somewhat arrogant attitude is the ONLY through line you're going to find here.

After a brief lead in where Jaleel denotes his religious upbringing and the thoughtful care provided by his parents, he jumps right into 'Urkel,' and does spend SOME time there. But aside from the reverence he shows to Leslie Moonves (pretty much the only person he gives flowers to in the entirety of his book), much of the narrative reads like a jumbled recollection of various anecdotes about all of the times Jaleel was let down or looked over...by everyone. But rather than feeling sympathetic towards him, I couldn't get past feelings of annoyance and frustration, which only deepened over time. At the end of the day, it seems as though Jaleel honestly believed that his portrayal of Urkel and success on Family Matters was going to set him up with multi million dollar movie deals for life...and when that didn't happen, he had every excuse under the sun as to why it didn't come to pass...except perhaps the most logical of all. Just like in music, ANYONE can be a 'one hit wonder', no matter how talented they are...and years later, it seems Jaleel just can't reconcile that fact.

The stories vary in length, depth, and breadth, but each time he started name dropping, I sort of sat back sighing and waiting for the inevitable bitterness to emerge...and this is pretty much all I encountered for the remaining pages of the book. Jaleel is also VERY interested in basketball, so if you're not a fan, there are definitely passages along the way you'll probably want to skim, if not skip entirely. Despite opportunities to meet his heroes, travel on luxury planes, and command the 'star treatment,' Jaleel doesn't seem grateful or happy about any of this...just annoyed that he didn't get everything his heart ever desired. He even took the time to bash fellow 90's TV star Alfonso Ribiero (one of the breakout stars from the show Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) for his willingness to 'go along' with the angle producers wanted when Alfonso starred on Dancing With the Stars. You see, Jaleel was on a different season of 'Dancing', but HE refused to go along with the producers 'angle' for him on the show (oh, and he takes some time to bash how he was trained by professional dancer Kym Johnson as well...wouldn't want to leave that out!) and therefore he didn't get 'rewarded' with a hosting job down the line. (Ribiero now co-hosts Dancing with the Stars.) Of course, Jaleel leaves out the fact that Alfonso Ribiero was a host FOR YEARS before even starring on Dancing with the Stars...because facts like that make his bitterness seem more like the envy they actually are.

And then there's the fact that actually getting THROUGH this memoir is going to take even more of your patience...and will probably give you a heavy sense of deja vu. The book not only lacks chronological order at times, but manages to repeat itself...over and over. Jaleel would sort of 'cap off' a story with his impression of the situation, and not two pages later would reiterate the same conclusion. Not only is this confusing, but it makes it seem like he took 10 years to write this book and each time he came back to it he couldn't remember where he had left off last time. As this was an early copy, it's possible that an editor cleaned up some of the mish-mosh; one can only hope. I'm not sure if it was page count he was targeting or simply forgetfulness, but it made what should have been a short, snappy memoir feel endlessly long...and more like 500 pages than 300. If that wasn't offensive enough, Jaleel sort of randomly mentions he has a daughter (!) without ANY description of how he became a father, or when...and even if his goal was simply to maintain her privacy, mentioning your child as an afterthought of sorts is just not a great look.

Although at his core, Jaleel White acknowledges that without Urkel, he wouldn't have the career or the life he has had, rather than gratitude, he simply gives his reader (and the world at large) attitude. And he left ME saying (in my best Urkel voice, of course) "Did he write that?"

And I really wish he hadn't.

2.5 stars

Growing Up Urkel
by Jaleel White
Pub DateNov 19 2024
Simon & Schuster
Biographies & Memoirs


Netgalley and Simon & Schuster sent me a copy of Growing Up Urkel for review:







Are you bothered by people still calling you Urkel?


It's an interesting question, since it lands differently with different people every time. Throughout the years, I've trained myself to listen to their tone when saying their name or asking a question. When it’s an older grandmother who hasn’t seen me in a while, she’ll say, ‘Oh baby, it’s Urkel!’ with genuine enthusiasm, and I’ll greet her with love and give her a hug.with genuine excitement, and I’ll greet her lovingly.



I have come to realize that this journey has never been just about me. For me, it has been about finding my calling and figuring out how to use it to bring joy to others. ”My story is a testament to the power of perseverance, authenticity, and reinvention."


Jaleel White's memoir, Growing Up Urkel, reveals the highs, lows, and plateaus of fame and fortune. Come relive the unforgettable nineties nostalgia with Jaleel as he reveals the stories behind the iconic suspenders and the impact his journey as one of America's favorite sitcom stars had on him.


I wanted to love this biography, unfortunately I found it to sound rather entitled!



I give Growing Up Urkel three out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Thank you to @netgalley for my ARC copy of this book!

I remember growing up and waiting for my TGIF shows to come on Friday nights. Steve Urkel was a favorite character of mine. So I was really excited to read this memoir. I hate to say I was really disappointed in reading this one. You want to come away from a memoir feeling like you were given an inside glimpse into the true person behind the persona(s) who have come to know. I felt like Growing Up Urkel was more of an airing of grievances than letting us know about the real Jaleel White. The books spends most of the time talking about people who used Jaleel, slept on his talent, or made him miss out on opportunity because of adult drama. I would have liked to have gotten to know Jaleel more and the person he is, rather than about all the times he was let down by the machine. I will say that the book is very eye opening about Hollywood, how hard it can be to find that next great role and the struggles black male actors go through at times. Overall, I don't think I really learned much about Jaleel and the man his today. He will always be an icon in pop culture but this .memoir was less than iconic.

Thank you for the ARC. I feel a little conflicted over this book - I'm not quite sure who it is for. There's one part of me who is interested in White's post-Family Matters career and how difficult it was for him to shed that character, but it also feels like this was his opportunity to share that it was everyone else's fault and he lost millions of dollars on bad deals and poor management.. Between that and the name dropping this book felt draining to read and I grew less and less interested. I really wanted to like it and there were some interesting and comical stories peppered throughout (the "sickout" amused me). Probably best as an audiobook in the background for those looking for an easy listen.

Growing up Urkle is a hard one to “review” I enjoyed reading Jaleels story, and how he came to fame and how he managed to to bipass the drug, alcohol and other problematic things that came with being the 80/90s kid on tv. Many of my childhood favorites turned to the above mentioned and it was sad and disheartening that it was the norm of Hollywood. I was please to read his mom was able to keep him on the straight and narrow while will managing to keep his life semi normal to the best of their ability.
This memoir touched based on a lot of the unknowns surrounding Jaleel and his future after Family Matters and overall was a pleasant and informative read.

I loved watching Family Matters when I was young and still like watching it now. I couldn't get into the book though. I've tried but it wasn't for me. I'm grateful that netgalley let me read this in exchange for an honest review.