School Visits: Assemblies and Workshops with Author-Illustrator Vikram Madan
Learn more about Vikram's popular poetry books THE BUBBLE COLLECTOR and LORD OF THE BUBBLES.
(And forthcoming in Spring 2020 from Boyds Mills Press: 'A Hatful of Dragons: And 13.8 Billion Other Funny Poems')




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"This visual connection to literacy is so important to kids this age. 
​The Bubble Collector is a great example of this." 
- Librarian, Redmond Middle School​

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​Vikram does both in-person and Skype author-visits for schools. 
Visits include assemblies for grades K-3 and assembly-workshops for grades 4-6. 

Some reasons to consider inviting Vikram to visit your school:
  • As an Poet, Illustrator and Humorist, Vikram can engage kids with a unique combination of words, images and humor, giving them insight into both the drawing and the writing process. Humor is a great way to inculcate an interest in poetry.
  • As someone who has worked in left-brained careers (engineer, scientist) and right-brained careers (author, artist, editorial cartoonist), Vikram brings a unique perspective to the classroom 
  • As an immigrant who grew up in a different culture, Vikram adds to the diversity of voices in the Kid-Lit field. (Teachers and Librarians particularly appreciate being able to introduce school kids to diverse authors to expand kids' horizons for role models and personal potential). 



"Vikram's presentation was humorous and inspiring for students. He encouraged students through his own stories, poetry and art to persevere as they pursue their unique dreams and aspirations. This important message cannot be repeated enough and Vikram did so eloquently and with grace." 
Librarian, Thoreau Elementary 

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Grades 4 though 6 - Workshops and Assemblies:

With the older grades, Vikram will read more complex poetry and cover topics such as:
  • inspiration and ideation,
  • using words, rhythms and patterns as building blocks,
  • the value and necessity of writing, re-writing, revision and editing,
  • poetic forms and their historical origins and derivations,
  • 'pulling back the curtain' to show how works evolve (and sometimes have to be intentionally crafted or beaten into shape).
Workshops also involve a creative group exercise involving words and drawings, including writing a quick little poem to show poems are fun and easy to get started with. This exercise usually leaves kids motivated and excited to apply themselves to their own creative projects.



"Vikram’s program and presentations were both interesting and entertaining. The students learned how to turn ordinary poetry, into compelling works. Vikram was very personable and patient with all students, K-6. I would highly recommend Vikram Madan for any elementary audience."
Librarian, Echo Lake Elementary 
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K-3 Assemblies:

Assemblies for younger grades are usually shorter and involve faster-paced poetry-reading from The Bubble Collector (and other forthcoming books), supplemented with animated visuals to hold the attention of the kids, followed by 'Ask the Author' Q&A as well as drawing demonstrations and exercises. 

With a smaller audience of younger grades (20-25 kids or less), Vikram can conduct a longer assembly that additionally includes creative group-drawing exercises that invite the kids to use their imagination and excites them about the possibilities of creative visualization. 

Vikram has done K-3 assemblies for upto 250 kids at a time.


"We had the honor of hosting Vikram Madan  in our class.  After his presentation, each student dropped everything and started writing! The kids in my class adore [The Bubble Collector], and I love it because it’s very clever and fun to read."
- Fourth Grade Teacher, Spiritridge Elementary School
2016 School Visit Rates:

For schools within 50 miles of Bellevue WA:
  • Single Classroom Visit (45-60 minutes): $125
  • Half Day (Two 50-minute sessions or Three 30-minute sessions): $225
  • Full Day (4-5 sessions): $425

Note: The content and nature of each session will vary based on the size and age of the groups you will want Vikram to meet with. In general, the more intimate the setting, and the smaller the group, the more the kids will get out of the visit.

For schools more than 50 miles from Bellevue WA:  There may be an additional fee to cover travel time and distance. Please contact Vikram for a quote. 


"In addition to engaging students in the  fun,  fantasy and whimsy of his poetry, Mr. Madan also communicated the invaluable lesson  of perseverance in the writing process."
- Librarian, Audubon Elementary School

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"Seeing your artwork has opened up a world of possibilities for my students. They are now really excited about art. 
- Elementary School Teacher, Louisa Boren STEM K-8 School
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Book Sales:

As a special benefit, Vikram can provide students with copies of his award-winning poetry books, The Bubble Collector, and Lord of the Bubbles, at a special discounted school price. 

To do this, Vikram will provide you with an order form (below) ahead of time and request you circulate the form and collect orders prior to his arrival. On the day of the visit, Vikram will bring copies of the book to the school and sign them for the students. (Students who miss the opportunity to purchase books prior to the visit can always order the book from Amazon.com or Vikram's website)
Book Order Form
File Size: 711 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Equipment Logistics:

​Please arrange to have the following ready for the visit:
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1. Projection system - for showing a PowerPoint presentation. 
2. Large drawing surface - Flip-chart (preferred), smart-board, white-board etc. 
3. Wireless Microphone for large spaces like gyms and lunch-rooms, or for large groups.


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"Vikram's poetry and illustrations are engaging, and my students thoroughly enjoyed the presentation. They stayed through recess to talk with him and had to be persuaded to return to their classes when the bell rang! We had the best time.
- Librarian, Stevenson Elementary School

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Here is a recording of a past Skype Visit: 

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"Vikram's presentation via Skype was excellent! Our 300 students in grades one through five sat  enraptured during his time with us and were inspired to ask him lots of questions. He focused on his experiences as a poet for our "Poem in Your Pocket Day" assembly and was both funny and completely on target. I had at least a dozen of our teachers tell me how wonderfully perfect they found his presentation to be."
-- Primary School Teacher Librarian,
Washington International School, Washington DC
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HOMESCHOOL GROUPS: Visits can definitely be arranged for homeschool groups. Usually, one parent/family should take the lead for organizing such a  visit and for being the point person for arrangements:
1. Arrange a venue - this can be a meeting room in your local public library or community center. You should be able to book the room for no charge. The ideal venue will have a projector and whiteboard (but if these are not available, we can work around that!). 
2. Coordinate with the other parents to decide a day and time, and to collect contributions to pay for the visit (See rates above - the more  families you can pull together, the smaller the per-child cost).
3. Contact Vikram to finalize the visit.

Comments from Kids:
  • "I liked your book before, but now I like it even more"
  • "We learned a lot from you"
  • "Thank you for coming to our class and showing us poetry"
  • "You draw awesome cartoons! You write great poetry!"
  • "Thank you for coming.  You inspired me to create a poem."
  • "We love your poetry!"
  • "We had tons of fun when you came! Thank you for coming!"
  • "I loved the pictures that were with the poems."
  • "I loved The Bubble Collector"
  • "Thank you for teaching us about poetry"
  • "Please write more books!"
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