She made her film debut aged four, entered rehab at 13, married twice by 27 and began a family with her art dealer husband Will Kopelman  aged 39. 

If there's one person who we would be fascinated to hear the life story of, it's Drew Barrymore.

And happily, the 40-year-old actress has obliged, with news that she is to pen a series of autobiographical essays in a new book about her life.

Publishers Dutton confirmed to People that Barrymore has signed a deal with them to write an as yet untitled book about her childhood, film adventures and recent foray into motherhood. 

Despite the well-documented ups and downs of the star's life - including teen drug addiction and estrangement from her mother - the proposed book will be upbeat and funny.

"I love stories that are humorous, emotional and welcoming, and that is my goal in writing this book," says Barrymore, who has two young daughters, Olive and Frankie, with her husband Kopelman.

Ben Sevier, publisher of Dutton, says, "We are thrilled to welcome Drew Barrymore, a true American icon, to the Dutton list, and can't wait to help bring her wonderful writing to the world." 

The book will chart Barrymore's experiences of "living on her own at 14 (and how laundry may have saved her life), getting stuck in a gas station overhang on a cross-country road trip, saying goodbye to her father in a way only he could have understood, and many more adventures and lessons that have led to the most important thing in her life, which is motherhood."

It's yet not known how much the book deal was worth, or when it will come out. 

Barrymore has written previously of her struggle with drug addiction, in her autobiography Little Girl Lost. 

The actress captured the heart of a nation aged seven with her role in E.T.: The Extraterrestrial and she was hailed as a modern-day Shirley Temple. 

But her fame quickly spiraled into a troubled life; she had her first drink at nine, began smoking pot at 10, and tried cocaine for the first time aged 12. She successfully petitioned to emancipate herself from her family at the age of 15 and four years later entered into a short-lived marriage to bar owner Jeremy Thomas.

A few turbulent years followed, but Barrymore managed to shrug off her reputation as a wild child and turn her languishing film career around by forming her own production company, Flower Films, in the mid-90s.

A stream of hit 90s movies followed, including Scream, The Wedding Singer and Never Been Kissed.

Charlie's Angels, co-starring Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu, was the first big commercial success for Barrymore's production company in 2003 and she's never looked back since, building up a portfolio of successful films and performances through the Naughties. She married Kopelman in June 2012 and they had their first child three months later. 

"I love the wonderful and awkward journey that I’ve been on - it’s forced me to grow so much," Barrymore said recently. "You learn to draw on the good and the bad times. One thing I’ve learned is to take a deep breath before reacting to something. That’s a big change that’s helped me get where I am."

Words: Anna Brech, Photos: Rex Features