(CBS) Jamie Lee Curtis has made the successful transition from actress to author of best selling children's books. Her latest writing effort is the No. 1 New York Times Best Seller "I'm Gonna Like Me".

She also has a very special connection to The Early Show contributor Lisa Birnbach

Birnbach says she met Curtis in 1985, and they have been friends for a long time. Birnbach explains that she asked Curtis to be the godmother of her first daughter, whose nickname is Boco. Today, Curtis is godmother to all three of Birnbach’s children. And, Boco unintentionally became the author’s muse for her latest book.

Curtis says she was inspired to write her new children book when Birnbach told her that Boco said, “I’m gonna like me,” when she tried on a dress that Curtis had brought for her. The declaration of self-esteem touched the writer.

Curtis says she is amazed that her books can bring families together and promote a positive outlook in life.

“That's what's special to me,” says Curtis. “What I get to do is invite a child on to their parent's lap and spend 15 minutes together reading this and then talking about, perhaps, what makes that child like themselves."

Curtis says she hopes a child and parent can talk about self-esteem and talk about the importance of and the responsibility in family after reading her book.

“You are a member of the family, and your job is to pick up your room, and you know to take the dishes in from the table. And all those things are the beginnings of understanding that you … your action at doing something actually makes you feel, 'OK. I helped out. I'm worth being here,'" says Curtis.

Curtis says parents should set examples for children, which is why she posed for More magazine this summer. She showed her glamorous side and bared her natural self.

For years, she was known in Hollywood as “the body.” It wasn’t a title she sought, but Curtis made it work for her. That all changed when she turned 40.

"I started to get body conscious in a way that I wasn't. And I started shrouding, hiding. My little tummy, I started to hide it,” reflects Curtis.

She says that a movie she worked on called for her to wear a bathing suit, which mortified her. She thought of getting liposuction to make herself feel better.

“And you know what, it didn't,” says Curtis. “I knew I was gonna do another pretty picture of Jamie on the cover [of More magazine] perpetuating the exact thing that I had just come to terms with. And so I thought,'Well no, no, no, no, no. I don't want to do that again.'”

She says she suggested taking pictures of herself with no enhancement, no airbrushing, no makeup, no fancy clothes, no jewelry and no high heels. Her features would not be helped by a stylist. Curtis wanted to show “the reality.”

But, then she wanted to show an after picture. And she wanted the magazine to list in the after shot the crew and money spent to glamour her up.

“Ultimately people could then relate,” says Curtis. “It is the hope that I can spread the word about this for children. Who better than the person who was known as ‘the body?’”

After announcing that she was through with acting, Curtis has just accepted a role she couldn't refuse, playing the mom in a remake of Disney's classic "Freaky Friday."

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