BEST AUTHOR BEST : GEENA DAVIS [2]

.-  What genres do you especially enjoy reading?

Memoirs and biographies. I find stories about other people's real-life experiences and challenges so engrossing.

They teach me a lot and broaden my perspective and understanding of the world.

One recent favorite was '' Educated, '' by Tara Westover. The story - and Tara's resilience - broke my heart.

.-  Why try your hand at Children's book?

I've always loved drawing and writing, so it's been in my mind for a long time. Then, suddenly, the idea of a character knowing that they live in a book came to me.

As a child, I always felt too tall, like I was taking up more than my share of space, and I tried to shrink myself to fit into the amount of space I imagined I should occupy.

In writing '' The Girl Who Was Too Big For The Page,'' I wanted to reach out to kids who feel like I did back then - like they don't fit in - and reassure them that there is room for them in the world.

I want them to realize that they should take up as much space as they need.

.-  Often new authors work with illustrators. Was it a must that you did the art for this book, too ?

I've always drawn and painted, and I saw my characters as clearly in my mind's eye that it seemed natural that I would draw them. And luckily for me, my publisher loved what I created.

,- What's the best book you've ever received as a gift?

When Hugh Laurie and I played Stuart Little's parents in the movie '' Stuart Little, '' Hugh decided to give me a copy of his hilarious book, '' The Gun Seller.''

But since he knew I was once a foreign-exchange student in Sweden, Hugh gave me a Swedish copy! [ The book was called '' Skottpengar '' there.]

The gift truly delighted me. I love Hugh's writing in any language.

.-  Of all the characters you've played across different media, which role felt to you the richest - the most novelistic?

I've actually been in five movies based on books, but Muriel Pritchett from '' The Accidental Tourist '' was definitely the most novelistic.

Muriel, who first appeared in the beautiful book by Anne Tyler, is complicated and unique and felt so  three-dimensional on the page. 

I remember reading this book aloud to Jeff Goldblum while we were shooting '' The Fly '' together and was getting his extensive makeup done.

As I read, I started hating whoever was going to get to play the part of Muriel in the movie version -which was clear there would be. 

But then it was me! And it completely changed my life.

The World Students Society thanks The New York Times.