War Horse author Michael Morpurgo tells Tim Hughes he can't wait to come to Oxford for a double date this weekend - despite a lingering sense of rejection

Storyteller Michael Morpurgo admits to having a love-hate relationship with Oxford.

"I love the city, but hate the university," he says with a mischievous twinkle.

"I was turned down by a horrible college called Christ Church, and I vowed to never darken the door of that place again.

"When you are young, humiliation hurts. I thought I was going to spend three years in that place, and the beggars turned me down! Ever since I have always supported Cambridge in the boat race."

He laughs gently, and adds: "The city is aesthetically and culturally amazing, but don't ask me to like Oxford University!"

The experience doesn't seem to have done him any harm though, educated at King's College London and the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, he became a primary school teacher before embarking on a very fruitful career as a writer, earning armfuls of awards and plaudits, and a special place in the hearts of children who can't get enough of his books. Many of those novels address life in the two world wars and our relationship with animals, some, like War Horse, deal with both.

The powerful stage show of his most famous novel, adapted by the National Theatre with the use of life size puppets, comes to Oxford next year, with Michael, who lives in Devon, promising to come along and watch.

But fans don't have to wait until then to meet the former Children's Laureate.

This weekend he arrives in the city for two appointments in the city: a speaking engagement with Professor Ian Goldin, Director of the Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford, at the Museum of Natural History on Saturday, and, the next day, a morning conversation with children's writer Judith Kerr.

"One thing was happening and then they thought that because the old git was coming, they should get him to do something else," he deadpans. "They are two different things, though."

They are both related to something close to his heart, and at the core of much of his writing: the natural world.

"I've written a lot about animals and nature and our connection with the environment," he says.

As an example he cites his book Running Wild, about a boy surviving on his own in the Indonesian rain forest, with only an elephant for company.

"It's my own Jungle Book, but is set after the tsunami," he says. "He is lost and living wild. It's about living in harmony with nature and the forest."

Michael's date at the museum is part of the ongoing Oxford Festival of Nature, backed by the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, and will include the screening of a short film, written by Michael, called I Wish For You.

The film, which stars Jeremy Irons and Maxine Peake, takes the form of a grandfather’s letter to his granddaughter about the world he loves, but which is irrevocably threatened by climate change.

"I was asked to write a short film, described as a love letter to the planet," he says. "I said no, I can't write a love letter to the planet! But I decided I could do it as a letter from a grandfather to his grandchild about the wishes he has for his child, and the world he or she is going to live in.

"It's a letter of love about the planet."

Michael, who tells me proudly that he became a great grandfather a few weeks ago, adds: "It's beautifully done and wonderfully acted, and has been seen by millions and millions of people.

"I wasn't expecting it to be of that calibre."

The discussion will tackle such issues as how mankind can flourish alongside the environment, and whether development and sustainability must always be in conflict.

"It's a wonderful place to do it and the right moment in time to do it. Something urgently needs doing to address what's happening to the planet, and what's good is that young people realise it's important. They are the one hope and that's why education is so important as well as passing on what has been learned from the mistakes we have made."

The next morning, Michael pops up again for another public conversation – this time with Judith Kerr, the author of such classics as The Tiger Who Came to Tea, and Mog the Forgetful Cat.

The event, organised by the Story Museum, will see the pair discussing the role of animals in literature and share their thoughts on how animals have influenced their own writing.

"To be in the Sheldonian is amazing, " he says. "I love that place. Though I believe it is uncomfortable to sit in, but the people on stage don't worry about that. We will enjoy keeping people as uncomfortable as possible."

And he is looking forward to sharing that stage with Judith. "She is one of the truly great writers and an extraordinary person," he says. "She manages to write stories for very young people which are in pretty much every house in the country.

Michael's own books are also notable for their use of strong animal characters – whether they be dogs (Little Manfred, Best Mates, Born to Run, A Medal for Leroy, Shadow, Waiting for Anya), cats (The Nine Lives of Montezuma, The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips and Kaspar: Prince of Cats), wilder beasts (Little Foxes, The Butterfly Lion, An Eagle in the Snow, An Elephant in the Garden, and The Last Wolf), or, of course, horses.

"You write about what you care about," he says. "You don't choose what you write about, you just put out who you are. You are just telling a tale.

"I write for the child in me and the child I was," he goes on. "But at the same time, writers should speak across the generations."

He encouraged fans to come along to both events, saying: "I promise I won't repeat myself!"

And might he use the visit as an opportunity to forgive the University for turning him down?

"It will take a lot to forgive them!" he laughs.