Welcome to Reading Dragons & Friends
Get ready to read, collect, and play with Reading Dragons & Friends!
This is a collaborative national reading program created by the Dover Public Library in Ohio that encourages children in grades K-5 to read for fun. Participants can track their reading, collect dragon trading cards, and play card games, all while learning good reading habits and gaining a lifelong love of reading!
Program Highlights:
For children in Grades K-5
Reading Dragons & Friends will run from October 1st, 2025 – April 30th, 2026
For every four days you read at least 20 minutes, you will earn a family set of the mythical creature of your choosing (up to 4 a month)
Collect different Reading Dragons & Friends card families
Use these cards to play fun card games with your friends
Registration Information:
Participants (children in grades K-5) can register at our library starting on October 1st. The registration kit includes:
3 Starter Cards
Reading Tracker
Checklist
Collect the Cards:
You will receive three starter cards at registration: a red fire type, a green plant type, and a blue water type.
There are many dragon, unicorn, kraken, sphynx, and griffin families for you to choose from after logging your four days of reading sessions. Each of the card families includes four members — an egg/baby, a child, a teenager, and an adult. Each month, you can earn up to four different families.
If you join the program late, don’t stress! You can work backwards by filling in squares from previous months on your reading tracker – cards are not exclusive (besides the special edition cards).
We can’t replace lost cards — just keep reading to earn more cards.
There are special edition cards that you can earn by coming to the library on specific days! Make sure to visit during the following dates to collect these rare cards:
- October 27 -November 1 (Halloween)
- November 15 -20 (National Gingerbread Cookie Day – Nov. 21)
- December 15-20 (National Twin Day – Dec. 18)
- January 19 -24 (National Freshly Squeezed Juice Week)
- February 2-7 (National Sweater Day)
- March 9-14 (Mario Day: March 10)
- April 20- 25 (National Library Week)
Once you’ve collected some cards, you’re ready to start playing with them!
Rock, Paper, Scissors
You and a friend each choose one card secretly, keeping it hidden so your friend can’t see what you chose. Then count to 3, and both of you flip over your cards to see who wins.
Fire beats Plant
Plant beats Water
Water beats Fire
If you have the same symbol, you tie.
Rock Paper Scissors, War!
Play this game when you have several dragon cards (be sure to write your name on the cards so you don’t get them mixed up with your opponent’s).
Mix up both players’ cards and divide them evenly between both players.
Place your stack of cards face down on the table. Do not look at your cards.
Both players draw the top card on their deck and flip it over at the same time.
Fire beats Plant
Plant beats Water
Water beats Fire
If you have the same symbol, the oldest creature wins. (The three starter cards count as an “adult” card for scoring during Dragon Duel.)
If your creatures are the same age, then it’s time to duel:
To go to war, add two face down cards to the pile, then play one more card face up (Fire beats Plant, Plant beats Water, Water beats Fire).
If you have the same symbol, the oldest creature wins.
If you tie again, go to war until there is a winner.
The winner adds both cards to their win pile.
Play until you run out of cards.
The player with the most cards in their win pile wins.