Yay - A HATFUL OF DRAGONS has been selected by Bank Street College of Education for their Prestigious Annual 2021 Best Books List.

I am delighted to showcase my art publicly in my home city of Bellevue WA, this time on a utility box located in front of Highland Middle School. This particular installation features 10 images from my series AN UTTERANCE INEFFABLE. 
Locals, check it out when you are driving by on Bel-Red Road, Bellevue WA. 

How delightful that educators are able to find ways to use my book A HATFUL OF DRAGONS in the classroom.

Here are some examples I found on the web:

1. A Hatful of Dragons - Poetry Discussion Questions - Google Slides™ Compatible
From the Website:
"This product includes 44 comprehension, literary instruction, reflection, critical thinking, discussion, and composition prompts on cards for studying the poetry book A Hatful of Dragons written and illustrated by Vikram Madan. This book is a highly engaging and humorous poetry collection that students of all ages will enjoy.

• This book is an especially useful vehicle for addressing a wide range of TEKS and Common Core standards and the questions provided allow differentiation and adaptation of how the book is used to address these standards in discussion, presentation, and composition.

• This resource is great for classroom discussion, literature circles, book clubs, poetry unit studies, task cards, book challenges, reflection journals, and/or student writing prompts.

• The questions in this resource are purposefully designed for discussion and reflection. The questions prompt students to think critically about the book, share observations, express their understanding, and make connections and applications while exploring literary elements.

• This resource is appropriate for use by:
  • Students
  • Classroom teachers
  • Reading teachers and reading specialists
  • Language therapists
  • Librarians
  • Parents
  • Tutors
  • Counselors
  • Individuals who work with students to encourage a love for reading!"

2. A Hatful of Dragons Trivia Questions
From the website:
"Attached are 120 trivia questions and answers broken up by chapter for A Hatful of Dragon by Vikram Madan to be used for book battle, book club, guided reading groups, literature circles, comprehension checks, etc."

If you are looking for ways to bring poetry into the classroom, the above guides might be helpful.
Note: I have no affiliation with the content creators listed here.

I am pleased to share that the American Library Association ALSC has picked my 'A HATFUL OF DRAGONS' book as a 2021 Summer Reading List Selection, the only poetry book to make the list for K-2 students.

See the full lists here: www.ala.org/alsc/publications-resources/book-lists/2021-summer-reading-list

I'm so excited to share the covers of my upcoming early reader graphic chapter novels BOBO & PUP-PUP, illustrated by Nicola Slater. Aren't these among the most endearing covers you have ever seen??!?

Learn more about these books here! 

I am delighted to share that my Owl & Penguin characters will soon be appearing in a graphic novel for beginning readers to be published by Holiday House in 2022. These characters started as a small 8"x8" painting - funny how they've managed to find a life all their own :) 

A recently unveiled Utility Box Mural in Kent, WA featuring art from my Perplexed Penguins Oil Paintings.
Located at the intersection of SE 272nd St (Kent-Kangley Road) and 152nd Ave SE in Kent WA. 

Woohoo - My book, A Hatful of Dragons, has been selected for the 2021-2020 Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List - one of the most distinguished reading lists for kids across the United States! This is a rare and prestigious honor - only 20 books are selected for this list every year, and kids in Texas in grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 are asked to read books from this list 'just for fun' - as a way to promote reading and literacy. Last year over 130,000 kids participated in this reading program! Read more about it here: https://txla.org/news/2021-2022-texas-bluebonnet-award-master-list-released/ 

***UPDATE 9/1/20*** The Kickstarter project completed successfully - thank you all for your support!
If you missed the Kickstarter and still want to participate - please see this project reprise on IndieGogo:
http://igg.me/at/ReaperCoin

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Lil' Reaper Fans - please check out my Lil' Reaper Carpe Diem Kickstarter, running 7/19/20 - 8/20/20
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/artbyvikram/lil-reaper-carpe-diem-art-coins

The City of Renton WA invited me to participate in their 'Dragon Days' celebrations by creating a public art display in a vacant storefront. I decided to highlight some of the dragon art and poems from my book A Hatful of Dragons and created a large sized display 5' high and about 80' long featuring both poetry and art. This video shows it best:

The drawings in my book are pretty small, just a few inches max, so I had to redraw the drawings and then add color. These were then sent to a sign printer and printed out as large size window clings, which I then manually installed for the display. Putting up these clings was harder than it looks - not for the faint hearted! 

I was honored to be invited by the prestigious School Library Journal to take over their Instagram account on 4/24/2020 and present my work and new book to school librarians, teachers, and the general public. The session is now available on Youtube for everyone to watch: 

Post Launch Update: If you missed the launch event, you can watch the video here:
https://www.facebook.com/ArtByVikram/videos/667321847413818/

With social distancing in place and all physical venues closed, please join me in an online celebration of my book release! 

I will be streaming on Instagram, Facebook and Zoom and you can join in on any of those. Zoom lets you join into the conversation on Video, with FB and Instagram you'll primarily be watching and commenting.

I'll be doing the event in 2 parts so hopefully you can join in wherever in the world you are:

• April 11 6-8 p.m.
• April 12 2-4 p.m.

To join the event on ZOOM, register in advance for one (or both) of these meetings:
  Apr 11, 2020 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) 
  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/uJEsfuGgrT0ttQVtKdIwRajq3i5gYId3Lg

  Apr 12, 2020 02:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) 
  https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/vp0vc-6qpzIus_-KtGIskkL-u3K7uQUy0w 

To join the event on FACEBOOK:
  Go to my Facebook Art Page https://www.Facebook.com/ArtByVikram at the meeting time and join the LIVE VIDEO
  
To join the event on INSTAGRAM:
  Go to my Instagram Art Account https://www.Instagram.com/ArtByVikram at the meeting time and watch the LIVE VIDEO

​Best way to get a reminder is by responding to this facebook event:
https://business.facebook.com/events/340006630291846/

There will be poetry reading, book signings, magic tricks, learn how the book was made, see behind the scene pictures.. and plenty more!

Kid-friendly and dog-friendly event - bring the kids and dogs to meet the author.
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The virus sure makes this an interesting time to release a book given the impacts to publishers, printers, distributors, bookstores, and libraries. I probably can't do author appearances for a while so I hope you will join me at this online event.

Oh Coronavirus, why did you have to cancel all my author signing events?!??

But never fear! If I can't sign your book in person I can still sign it for you remotely!

If/when you order a copy of my new book of funny poems 'A Hatful of Dragons' just send me a note (through my website or via social media) with your mailing address and whom the book is for, and I will mail you a bookplate label with a personalized message. You simply peel the label and stick it on the inside cover page, and - ta-daa -  you have a signed book!

Uhm yes I am aware that the cost of a label + mailing will probably exceed my per-book royalty... so I would be ever grateful if you can return the favor, assuming you've enjoyed the book, by spreading some word-of-mouth buzz about the book (tell some friends, give it as gifts, etc) and leaving a positive review somewhere.