Actress mom Mary-Louise Parker tells us about starring in The Spiderwick Chronicles, her favorite kids’ books, and more.

On Doing a Kids’ Movie

Has the end of Harry Potter left a big hole in your child’s reading list? Pick up The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Holly Black and Toni DiTerlizzi. Then see the live-action screen version, hitting theaters this month (rated PG). We chatted up actress and mom Mary-Louise Parker to find out about the film, her favorite kids’ books, and more.

Q. What attracted you to The Spiderwick Chronicles?
A. I’ve always wanted to do a kids’ movie, and this one is somewhat atypical — the characters are finely drawn and complex. Even though my kids won’t be able to see it for a few years [her son is 4 and her daughter is under 2], I have lots of children in my life who’d love to see me in a movie.