Whangārei Central Library will close early at 5:00pm on weekdays from Monday 16 December 2024 to Friday 3 January 2025.See the opening hours for our libraries over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Meet our 20 Dragons. Click the Challenge links under each dragon for full details about what to do to earn their trading card.
Aledran, roams the ancient forest with scales that blend into the emerald canopy. He can command the trees to grow and flowers to bloom with a mere thought. Aledran can summon gentle breezes or fierce storms, protecting his domain from harm. He is known for his great wisdom and kindness.
Challenge 1 Go on a bush walk.
Aqualis has shimmering scales that reflect the colours of the ocean. He commands the tides and can summon powerful waves to protect his territory. His breath weapon is a cloud scalding steam, capable warding off any intruders. Aqualis also communicates with marine life, calling upon schools fish and other sea creatures to aid him when needed.
Challenge 3 Visit a beach.
Artagon loves sharing her passion for art with others, especially kids. She uses her magic to show them how to paint, draw and sculpt. With her breath, she can paint bright, colourful scenes in the air that turn into real artwork. Artagon’s lessons are always fun and full of imagination, making every child feel like a true artist.
Challenge 13 Design a container for your Dragon cards.
Aurelia is a young dragon with golden scales that shimmer like the sun. Born in the heart of a mystical fernery, she possesses the power to harness light, creating dazzling displays that can blind foes or illuminate the darkest paths. Aurelia also has the ability to manipulate plants, encouraging ferns and other flora to grow and flourish at her command.
Challenge 3 Visit the Botanica Whangārei
Unlike other dragons, Bibliodrake’s greatest treasure is not gold but the large library he guards in his lair. Bibliodrake has the unique power to absorb the knowledge from any book he reads, instantly understanding and remembering every detail. With his vast knowledge, he can solve any problem, offer wise advice and even cast powerful spells derived from ancient texts.
Challenge 12 Read a book featuring dragons.
Bookwyrm is a wise and friendly dragon with scales that shimmer like the pages of her golden book. Bookwyrm has the magical ability to remember every story ever written. She creates beautiful, enchanted reading logs that are filled with colourful illustrations and notes as children read more books.
Challenge 16 Keep a reading log over the summer holidays.
Boxscale is the creator of magical dragon dens. His breath can transform ordinary materials into enchanted structures and his claws can carve intricate details with great care. Although Boxscale is still growing into his gifting, he shows remarkable creativity and skill. He creates dens that are not only beautiful but also filled with magic, providing comfort and protection for dragons through the ages.
Challenge 19 Create a dragon's den
Brickscale is a unique dragon made entirely of colourful LEGO bricks. He loves building amazing LEGO structures, from towering castles to intricate cities. Brickscale has the special power to rearrange his own bricks to change shape and size, allowing him to create anything he imagines. He can also bring his LEGO creations to life, making them move and interact with the world.
Challenge 14 LEGO creation.
Busdrake is a whimsical dragon who resides on the Mobile Library bus, traveling from suburb to suburb to share the joy of reading. His scales shimmer with the colours of book covers and his eyes sparkle with the wisdom of countless stories. Busdrake has the magical power to bring books to life, allowing readers to step into their favourite tales and interact with characters.
Challenge 11 Visit the Mobile Library.
Centraldrake lives at the Whangārei Central Library. Besides making books float and illustrations dance, she can also create cosy reading nooks out of thin air, complete with soft cushions. She has the power to transport readers into the worlds of their favourite stories, allowing them to experience adventures first hand. She can even summon gentle, soothing music to play in the library.
Challenge 10 Visit Whangārei Central Library.
Emberpuff has the magical ability to control the intensity of her flame, ensuring marshmallows are toasted to golden perfection without burning. She also creates a protective barrier of warmth, keeping the chill of summer nights at bay. Her gentle, controlled fire can also ward off any unwanted wild animals, ensuring that summer evenings are safe.
Challenge 6 Roast marshmallows or create s'mores.
Flame has magical powers to recreate any dish from a book perfectly, using her fire breath. Her meals are delicious and filled with a dash of enchantment, making every bite a magical experience. Children love to visit Flame’s kitchen, where they can taste the porridge from ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’ or the magical feasts from ‘Harry Potter’.
Challenge 17 Cook up a treat associated with a book.
Frolicscale is a beloved guardian of fun and laughter. He has the magical ability to animate the playground, making swings soar higher and slides twistier. He can conjure bubbles that float and pop with delightful tunes, bringing joy to all who hear them. His breath weapon is a gentle puff of glittering mist that can heal minor scrapes and bruises.
Challenge 5 Visit a playground.
Inkscale is a gentle dragon with scales that shimmer like a painter’s palette. She illustrates covers for children’s books, using her magical powers to create illustrations that move. Her claws are as precise as an artist’s brush, allowing her to add intricate details to her work. She can also use her illustrations to create protective barriers within the stories, ensuring that book characters are never harmed.
Challenge 18 Create a cover for your favourite book.
Kamodrake lives full time at the Kamo Library and has the magical ability to bring books to life. He can animate the characters within books, allowing readers to interact with their favourite heroes and villains. He can instantly locate any book within the library, ensuring that every visitor finds exactly what they need.
Challenge 7 Visit Kamo Library.
Nymphaea’s powers are as unique as her appearance. She has the ability to control water, creating gentle ripples or powerful waves with a flick of her tail. Her breath can summon mist, providing a veil of protection for the creatures of the pond. Nymphaea can mend injuries and soothe pain, making her a beloved guardian of the pond.
Challenge 2 Visit the Land of the Lotus Park, Watergardens and Banana Park at Maungatapere.
Onerahidrake is a beloved ancient dragon whose scales shimmer with wisdom. With a flick of his tail he brings stories to life, making characters dance off the pages and filling the library with enchantment. His magical powers are used to find the perfect book for every child and help them to fall in love with reading.
Challenge 9 Visit Onerahi Library.
Scribeclaw loves writing enchanting stories and poems for children, filling them with magic and wonder. She has special powers that bring her words to life, creating vivid, moving images in the minds of her listeners. Her voice can weave dreams, making bedtime stories an unforgettable adventure.
Challenge 15 Write a poem, story, movie review or create a comic strip.
As the designer of dragon wings, Skyflare has the extraordinary power to craft wings that are both beautiful and powerful. Skyflare can manipulate the elements of the sky: wind, clouds, and sunlight, to create wings that allow dragons to soar higher and faster. Skyflare’s wings are filled with magic, giving dragons the ability to glide silently, become invisible, or even control the winds.
Challenge 20 Make a pair of dragon wings.
Tikidrake has magical powers that bring the library to life. She can illuminate a room with a soft, warm glow, perfect for making small cosy spaces to read. Her breath weapon is a mist of sparkling dust that can repair damaged books and restore faded text. She also has the ability to conjure holographic images from the pages, allowing children to experience stories in a whole new dimension.
Challenge 8 Visit Tikipunga Library.
Christmas and New Year Hours