You're more likely to find Michael Morpurgo down on the farm than on the red carpet.

But then the award-winning author isn't interested in bright lights or a celebrity lifestyle, even though his last two books were made into a film with Helen Mirren and a forthcoming play at The National.

Instead the children's writer concentrates on the things he enjoys most - his family, his books, and his charity Farms For City Children, although he is making time to pop into the Oxford Playhouse on Satur- day morning in aid of The Oxford Story Museum.

And despite having been awarded an OBE, the former Children's Laureate, who has written more than 100 books and won numerous awards, only wants to talk about his farms.

"But what about the film of your book When The Whales Came?" I ask. "Did you meet the stars, go to Hollywood, get dressed up..."

"I try to avoid all that," he interrupts. "Luckily my wife thinks the whole celebrity thing is very unimportant and it is. Of course it's important to have a balance, which is why I love book signings and going to book festivals, but it's also inevitable that the celebrity angle creeps in, and then you find yourself linked with people who like the idea of knowing someone a bit famous and I don't like that side of it at all.

"That's why it's nice reading to children in a classroom because to them you're just a man reading them a story," he explains.

Living on a farm in Devon helps, and with two other farms to his name and a charity to run, Michael can keep Hollywood at arms length.

More than 60,000 inner city children have so far benefited from Michael's brainchild spending a week milking the cows, growing veg and experiencing everyday life on a working farm.

"We set them up 30 years ago to engage children and enrich them during their stay," he explained.

"It's certainly not an experience they'll forget, but then there are some harsh realities to face as well, so it's not all fun.

"Getting up at 6.30am to milk the cows isn't everyone's cup of tea and it can be cold and smelly work, but the children learn why animals are important, why we need to look after them, why we should keep the rivers clean and where milk comes from other than a supermarket. And they learn because they are doing it and living it, not because they are told about it in a classroom.

"And the way they interact with animals is so special, because animals don't answer back or judge them, they aren't hostile or alienated and so have a very profound effect."

For 25 years Michael was out there milking the cows with them, but now aged 63, he's handed the ropes over to some younger staff, while still keeping his hand in.

But it's a two-way street because he's the first to admit that without the children, the inspiration for his books would dry up very quickly.

"Having been a teacher I have been very privileged to meet children both in the classroom and on the farm, and to observe them interacting. I was always told to use my imagination and I still don't have a clue what that means. It's seeing something that triggers off my imagination.

"And children are still a constant source of surprise to me because their perceptions, emotions and spontaneous responses are so direct, honest and unpretentious."

Anyway, back to the story museum in Oxford. "Oh, I think it's a terrific idea because it will be live in many ways, which is how museums should be, not old and dead and stuffy but the same as stories - alive and kicking."

To do his bit, Michael will be discussing his Desert Island Books tomorrow - including Treasure Island, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Just So Stories - before discussing his own work, followed by a rare screening of Why the Whales Came.

So presumably he was a real bookworm then?

"No. I'm not going to pretend. I read a lot of comics," he laughs. "We had a house full of books but I was more interested in rugby and being outdoors.

"But my mother used to read me a story every night, things like Kipling, and I loved it, not so much because of the books but because I had 10 minutes of her attention all to myself."

Call the box office on 01865 305305 or see the website at www.oxfordplayhouse.com