LAUREN FRAYER, HOST:
Sheila is a kid who lives in a book, and she has a problem. She no longer fits on the page. After a summer growth spurt, she has to bend over to see people reading her book.
GEENA DAVIS: (Reading) She tipped her head sideways. And there they were. Goodness. Had she grown that much during the summer? This changed everything for Sheila. She knew that as the main character of a book, it was important for the readers to be able to see her. Well, they could see her but only about up to her neck.
FRAYER: So should she shrink herself to fit in? Geena Davis, the actor known for "A League Of Their Own" and "Thelma And Louise," among many other roles, is the author and illustrator of this new children's book called "The Girl Who Was Too Big For The Page." And she joins us now. Welcome.
DAVIS: Thank you so much. Thank you.
FRAYER: So you're tall yourself. Is this book autobiographical? Did you feel a bit out of place when you were a kid?
DAVIS: Oh, yes. I was always tall. I was - I think I was a tall baby. So I was always, always the tallest kid in class, and I so wanted to vanish into the woodwork. I was very shy and self-conscious, and oh, it was torture. And I used to wish that I took up less space. It was really only as an adult that I not only became comfortable with it, but grew to absolutely love being tall. So, yeah, it's very autobiographical.
FRAYER: And the character in this book, Sheila, realizes this dilemma she has, and she begins trying out solutions, like standing in weird positions to make herself look smaller. She bends over to tie her shoes. Did you do these things, or were these things you observed from other kids?
DAVIS: My mom knew that I was going to be tall, and she always insisted that I don't slump my shoulders, you know, so I had to stand up straight. But I found ways to stand, like, with one hip thrust out - it's actually in the book - to seem a little bit shorter, or I'd lean on things or perch on the edges of things, so I just wasn't standing out so much.
FRAYER: So this is the book you wish you had had to read as a kid?
DAVIS: Oh. It would have been fabulous. When I was a kid, my favorite picture book was about a princess who was only, like, two feet tall, and I loved that book because I wanted to be her. I wanted to be special and petite and adorable, instead of a great big gal.
FRAYER: Sheila also questions if she's interesting enough to be the subject of a book, and that is something that I could relate to. I feel like adults, kids, everyone can relate to, you know, self-doubt, imposter syndrome. Is that something that you, a famous actor in Hollywood, knows about?
DAVIS: Oh, God, yes. Oh, yes. All of that, all of that - I used to - it doesn't happen much anymore, but when I would get a job, I mean, I was very confident about my acting skills in general. But at the start of a new job with new people, I'd have a meltdown, thinking they're going to find out I'm a fake, that I don't know what I'm doing. They're going to realize this is all a scam. And then once I start the job, I say, oh, well, no, never mind. I remember what to do. But it's been a constant in my life. Sure.
FRAYER: So, we know you're an actor. I didn't know you're an artist. You did the illustrations for this book. Have you always drawn?
DAVIS: Yes. I've always been very into art and crafts and things like that - as a kid, always, always drawing. I never - it was weird that you said artist because I'm like, wait, wait, imposter syndrome. No, I'm not an artist. I just draw pictures.
FRAYER: You're a published artist now.
DAVIS: (Laughter).
FRAYER: I've got news to break to you.
DAVIS: But now I guess - oh, do I have to give in to that now? Oh, yeah. I'm, like, well, I just do, like, little drawings. I'm not really an artist. But, yeah, I always have. I love to draw.
FRAYER: So you've written your first children's book, a picture book. You've illustrated it. You've written the story. Are the creative juices flowing now? Are you going to write more children's books? Are there other stories you have in your head that you need to write?
DAVIS: (Laughter) Well, you know, I may very well. I don't know. I haven't got a very specific idea yet, but I'm definitely, definitely interested. And I had thought about it a lot over the years, that it would be really fun to do a children's book that I could also illustrate. So I'm sure something may come up.
FRAYER: That's Geena Davis, actor and now children's picture book author. Thank you so much for being with us.
DAVIS: Oh, thank you. My pleasure.
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