A child's view of Hay in the rain

The Hay Festival is not just for middle-aged literary types in linen suits: there is also a programme of children's events, and here are the views of Max, seven, after watching a story session featuring children's author and Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson.

"I thought the festival was good because when it is raining there are shelters up and it keeps people dry.

It rained a lot and it was horrendous because there was flooding all over the place.

The fire engine was sucking a lot of water out and there were enormous puddles.

I had been before and last time I saw Charlie and Lola in the theatre and that was good too.

I think Julia Donaldson was nice, she had brown hair.

There was a good story she told called Tyrannosaurus Drip about a dinosaur, but I didn't manage to buy it because it was so popular and had sold out.

What I think made me laugh was the owl in the Gruffalo because the owl went twit-twoo, twit-twoo!

It sounded to me like the audience loved it.

The festival had something called The Sky Tent and that bit was amazing.

I coloured in lots of pictures that they had already drawn but there were some people who coloured in bits they weren't meant to colour in.

I managed to have a little sit-down in the cafe and there was a tent nearby with clay and a clay Dalek, and it was amazing.

I think the festival should always have a clay bit.

I think the buses were good and they travel all around Hay but there was one lady who pushed my mum out of the way and never said 'excuse me'.

I think Hay is for children and for adults.

I think there should be more children's shows and I would like to see Alistair's books like Alistair And The Alien Invasion [by author Marilyn Sadler].

And I think there should be more books for seven-year-olds."