Michael Rosen is the author of more than 100 books, including Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy, Centrally Heated Knickers and We're Going on a Bear Hunt. He is also a former British Children's Laureate.
What do you think of the festival?
It's very special this festival because it's a focal point. It's very easy to think of reading as a one to one activity or a child on their own, but another side of reading is how we share books. Otherwise books get lonely and unloved.
Why is it important for parents to read with their children and how do you get them to do this?
If you read with your children it gives you a platform to cope with their schooling in a variety of ways. It's a great shame that we don't make more of it.
The how is quite tricky. I often think teachers are in a very special position because they are face to face with parents, but also through primary school there's every opportunity for teachers to make contact and stress how important it is.
When you were talking to the children today you really entertained them. Do you have in mind how you'd like to perform your poems when you write them?
I am a form of stand-up for children. I'm hoping that the teachers will see that a lot of what I'm talking about is in a book and the children can relate what it is I'm saying with what is written down.
Performances can help with that, because they show how language can be performed, and that's what I see as part of my job, language on the page is only part of the story. People have been performing, writing down, performing, writing down, for at least 4,000 years and it's a very powerful tool.
Does writing for you take you back to your childhood? Is this a form of inspiration for you?
It is for me, not for all writers. For some it's more of how to spin a yarn, or it might be related to something they heard yesterday. Other people they feel motivated by a need to tell something about history or the way the world is. I sometimes get motivated that way, but often it's about the king of fun I used to have as a child.
Did you read a lot as a child?
My parents were teachers and I read an enormous amount, but also my brother used to read to me and we used to enjoy reading funny books together. The Molesworth books, they're not actually children's books, but he could make them very funny.
Does your brother Brian know you speak about him during your talks?
I think he quite likes it. He sometimes wonders whether he could have written some books like that and he could have done, but he's busy with fossils and the ecology of the seabed, which is very important because our whole life has been developed out of the seabed.
Who have you enjoyed meeting at the festival?
It's always lovely to meet David Almond. It's fantastic that he has been the organiser of this for two years. He's a very inspiring fellow, he's reminded people of how deep children's books can be without being incredibly difficult.
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