DinoDeck is a free fossil-hunting maze game for Summer Reading 2026 at Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library. Players navigate mazes to collect fossils and earn collectible cards featuring dinosaurs, paleontologists, ancient insects, and living relatives.

How do you earn Platinum cards in DinoDeck?

Platinum cards are earned by reaching collection milestones — such as finding your first 5 cards, collecting 20 cards, or collecting one card of each category. During Summer Reading (June 6–July 19, 2026), players can show their Platinum cards to library staff at Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library to receive bonus ReadSquared codes.

How many cards are in DinoDeck?

DinoDeck has 50 collectible cards total: 24 dinosaur cards, 8 paleontologist cards, 3 paleoartist cards, 5 ancient insect cards, 6 living relative cards, and 5 special Platinum cards earned through achievements.

When is Summer Reading 2026 at CMCPL?

Summer Reading 2026 at Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library runs June 6 through July 19, 2026. DinoDeck is available to play from May 8 through August 1, 2026. Sign up at cmcpl.readsquared.com.

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Main Library
350 Pageant Lane
Suite 501
Clarksville, TN 37040

North Branch Library
435 Jordan Road
Clarksville, TN 37042

Phone: 931-648-8826
Email: askalibrarian@clarksville.org

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DinoDeck Cards — Summer Reading 2026 | CMCPL

Back to Summer Reading 2026

DinoDeck Cards — Summer Reading 2026

DinoDeck is a fossil-hunting card game for Summer Reading 2026 at Clarksville-Montgomery County Public Library. This page lists all 50 collectible cards with their facts and artwork. Cards are grouped by category.

To earn cards, play DinoDeck at montgomerytn.gov/publiclibrary/play-002. During Summer Reading (June 6–July 19, 2026), show your Platinum cards to library staff to receive bonus ReadSquared codes.

Dinosaurs 25 cards

Dinosaurs ruled the Earth for over 165 million years. These cards feature some of the most remarkable species from the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods.

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Common Cretaceous · Carnivore

One of the strongest bites of any land animal ever — up to 8,000 lbs of force, enough to crush bone
Had the best sense of smell of any meat-eating dinosaur — with large brain regions devoted to detecting odors
Arms were tiny but each one could lift 400 lbs

Triceratops

Common Cretaceous · Herbivore

Had up to 800 teeth at once — constantly growing new ones
The three horns could grow over 3 feet long
Scientists think the frill may have been brightly colored for display and species recognition

Stegosaurus

Common Jurassic · Herbivore

Back plates were most likely used for display — possibly for attracting mates or recognizing other Stegosaurus
Brain was tiny for its body size — roughly the shape of a bent hot dog
Tail spikes — called a thagomizer — could seriously injure predators

Brachiosaurus

Common Jurassic · Herbivore

Scientists estimate it needed to eat hundreds of pounds of plants every single day
Had large nasal openings on its skull — one of the biggest of any dinosaur
Neck was so long it could reach treetops four stories high

Velociraptor

Common Cretaceous · Carnivore

Real Velociraptors were turkey-sized — much smaller than in the movies!
Had feathers, just like a modern bird
A curved claw on each foot was used to pin down prey

Ankylosaurus

Uncommon Cretaceous · Herbivore

Tail club could swing hard enough to break the leg bones of large predators
Body armor was made of bone embedded in thick skin — one of the most heavily armored animals ever to walk the Earth
Bony armor covered nearly every inch of its body, leaving only the soft belly unprotected

Pterodactyl

Uncommon Jurassic · Carnivore

Not a dinosaur — it was a flying reptile called a pterosaur
Hollow bones made it light enough to fly despite its size
Walked on all fours on the ground, wings folded like crutches

Spinosaurus

Uncommon Cretaceous · Carnivore

Largest carnivorous dinosaur ever found — even bigger than T-Rex
Spent much of its time in and near water, hunting fish like a giant crocodile
The sail on its back could reach over 5 feet tall

Diplodocus

Rare Jurassic · Herbivore

Had a powerful whip-like tail that could swing at tremendous speed — likely used as a weapon against predators
Had peg-like teeth only at the front of its jaws, used to strip leaves from branches rather than chew them
One of the longest animals ever — up to 85 feet from head to tail

Carnotaurus

Rare Cretaceous · Carnivore

Only known carnivorous dinosaur with bull-like horns above its eyes
Had tiny arms — even shorter than T-Rex
Fast runner despite its size, making it a dangerous pursuit predator

Iguanodon

Rare Cretaceous · Herbivore

Only the second dinosaur ever officially named — back in 1825
Described before the word "dinosaur" even existed
Had a thumb spike that was first mistaken for a nose horn

Parasaurolophus

Common Cretaceous · Herbivore

Hollow head crest worked like a trombone — made deep booming calls
Traveled in huge herds for protection against predators
Could walk on two legs or drop to all fours when grazing

Pachycephalosaurus

Common Cretaceous · Herbivore

Skull dome was up to 10 inches thick — built for head-butting rivals
One of the last dinosaurs alive before the mass extinction
Tiny teeth suggest it ate soft plants, fruits, and seeds

Maiasaura

Common Cretaceous · Herbivore

Name means "good mother lizard" — it cared for young in nests
Raised its babies for months, bringing them food like a bird
Lived in herds of tens of thousands — one of the most social dinosaurs

Compsognathus

Common Jurassic · Carnivore

One of the smallest known dinosaurs — about the size of a chicken
Despite its tiny size, it was a fast and agile hunter
Likely hunted small lizards, insects, and other tiny animals

Kentrosaurus

Uncommon Jurassic · Herbivore

Cousin of Stegosaurus, but with long spikes instead of flat plates
Spikes ran all the way down its back, hips, and tail
Could swing its spiked tail to defend against predators

Therizinosaurus

Uncommon Cretaceous · Herbivore

Had the longest claws of any known animal ever — nearly 3 feet long
Despite those enormous claws, it was an herbivore
Used its huge claws to pull down branches and strip leaves

Carcharodontosaurus

Rare Cretaceous · Carnivore

Teeth shaped like a great white shark's — serrated and blade-like
This African predator rivaled T-Rex in size
Name means "shark-toothed lizard" — it earned every bit of that name

Microraptor

Rare Cretaceous · Carnivore

Had four wings and could glide between trees like a flying squirrel
One of the smallest dinosaurs known — about the size of a crow
A key link in the chain between dinosaurs and modern birds

Amargasaurus

Uncommon Cretaceous · Herbivore

Had two parallel rows of tall spines down its neck — the tallest of any known sauropod
Scientists still debate what the spines were for — defense, display, or a skin sail
Smaller than most sauropods, but one of the best-preserved — found in Argentina in 1984

Protoceratops

Common Cretaceous · Herbivore

Early relative of Triceratops — but much smaller, closer to sheep-sized
Its nests and eggs were among the first dinosaur eggs ever discovered
A fossil of Protoceratops and Velociraptor locked in combat was found preserved together

Edmontosaurus

Common Cretaceous · Herbivore

One of the very last dinosaurs alive before the mass extinction
Fossils have been found with T-Rex bite marks on the tail
Could chew tough plants with a dental battery of hundreds of tightly packed teeth

Tsintaosaurus

Uncommon Cretaceous · Herbivore

Known as the unicorn dinosaur — early fossils appeared to show a single spike on its forehead
The spike was actually the rear of a larger hollow crest connected to its nasal passages
Like Parasaurolophus, it likely used its hollow crest to make deep resonating calls

Pachyrhinosaurus

Rare Cretaceous · Herbivore

Had a thick bony bump on its nose instead of a horn
Used that bony boss for head-butting rivals, like a bighorn sheep
Traveled in large herds across what is now northern Canada and Alaska

Oviraptor

Rare Cretaceous · Omnivore

Named "egg thief" after being found near a nest — but the eggs were its own
Was actually a devoted parent, brooding its eggs like a modern bird
Had a parrot-like beak and a dramatic crest on top of its head

Paleontologists 7 cards

Paleontologists are scientists who study prehistoric life through fossils. These cards introduce some of the people exploring ancient worlds and making exciting discoveries along the way.

Mary Anning

Common Paleontologist

Discovered and excavated the first correctly identified ichthyosaur skeleton — at just 12 years old
Taught herself geology and anatomy with almost no formal schooling
Her finds helped prove that animals could go completely extinct — a revolutionary idea that changed science

Barnum Brown

Uncommon Paleontologist

Discovered the very first T-Rex skeleton ever found
Collected fossils for the American Museum of Natural History for decades
Famous for wearing a full-length fur coat to dig sites

Mignon Talbot

Rare Paleontologist

First woman to officially name and describe a new non-bird dinosaur species
Named Podokesaurus holyokensis in 1911
Helped open the door for women in paleontology

Carol Faul

Rare Paleontologist

Geologist, fossil collector, and museum curator who began her career at the Buffalo Museum of Science in the 1950s
Contracted polio as a teenager and became a leading advocate for making geology accessible to people with disabilities
Became the only woman elected to the Council of the Geological Society of America in 1962 — a landmark for women in science

Charles Sternberg

Uncommon Paleontologist

Self-taught fossil hunter who supplied museums across North America and Europe
Worked alongside his sons, making fossil hunting a family business
Discovered some of the most complete dinosaur skeletons ever found

Camila Martinez Aguillon

Uncommon Paleontologist

Colombian paleobotanist who uses fossil plants to reconstruct ancient tropical climates
Found evidence that the Andes in Peru were far lower 10 million years ago
National Geographic Explorer whose work helps predict how tropical forests respond to climate change

Jack Horner

Common Paleontologist

Discovered the first dinosaur eggs and embryos ever found in North America
His research proved some dinosaurs raised and fed their young in nests
Was a key scientific advisor for Jurassic Park and is often cited as an inspiration for the character Dr. Alan Grant

Paleoartists 2 cards

Paleoartists bring prehistoric life back to life through illustration and sculpture. Their work shapes how the world imagines dinosaurs and other ancient creatures.

Charles R. Knight

Rare Paleoartist

His murals at the American Museum of Natural History shaped how the world imagined dinosaurs for a century
Nearly blind from childhood — worked with his face inches from the canvas
One of the first artists to depict dinosaurs as fast, active animals

Zdeněk Burián

Rare Paleoartist

His illustrations appeared in millions of books across 22 languages worldwide
Painted feathery pterosaurs decades before most scientists accepted the idea
Widely considered the European counterpart to Charles R. Knight

Ancient Insects 5 cards

Insects were crawling, flying, and buzzing long before dinosaurs existed. These ancient species give us a window into prehistoric ecosystems.

Triassic Cockroach

Common Ancient Insect

Cockroaches have barely changed in 300 million years
Survived every mass extinction — including the one that wiped out dinosaurs
Can go a month without food and a week without water

Amber-Trapped Insect

Uncommon Ancient Insect

Ancient insects trapped in tree sap were preserved as amber fossils
Amber can preserve a creature so perfectly you can see individual hairs
Real-life inspiration for the DNA recovery idea in Jurassic Park

Jurassic Beetle

Uncommon Ancient Insect

Beetles exploded in diversity during the Jurassic period
Today beetles make up 25% of all known animal species on Earth
Scientists have described over 400,000 beetle species — and keep finding more

Giant Dragonfly

Rare Ancient Insect

Meganeuropsis had a 2.5-foot wingspan — the largest insect ever
Ruled the skies around 290 million years ago, before dinosaurs even existed
Scientists have long thought high oxygen levels helped insects grow so large, though recent research suggests other factors may have played a bigger role

Kalligramma

Rare Ancient Insect

Known as the butterfly of the Jurassic — evolved 50 million years before true butterflies
Had eyespots, wing scales, and a nectar-sipping proboscis — just like a modern butterfly
Went extinct when the ancient plants it fed on disappeared

Living Relatives 6 cards

Dinosaurs aren't entirely gone — birds are living dinosaurs, and many other animals alive today share ancient lineages with prehistoric creatures. These cards explore those connections.

American Crocodile

Common Living Relative

Crocodilians share the same ancient archosaur ancestors as dinosaurs — closest living relatives of the whole dinosaur family tree
Can stay submerged for extended periods — up to an hour or more
Have one of the strongest bite forces of any living animal

Horseshoe Crab

Uncommon Living Relative

Belong to a lineage 450 million years old — far older than the dinosaurs, and barely changed in all that time
Blue blood contains a compound that has long been used to test vaccines and injectable medicines for bacterial contamination
Not actually crabs — more closely related to spiders and scorpions

Komodo Dragon

Common Living Relative

Largest living lizard — can grow over 10 feet long and weigh 150 lbs
Can detect the scent of prey from up to 5 miles away
Venom in its bite prevents blood from clotting, weakening prey over time

Cassowary

Uncommon Living Relative

Birds are living dinosaurs — and the cassowary looks the part more than most
Helmet-like crest may be used for pushing through dense jungle
Has a dagger-like inner claw up to 4 inches long — one of the most dangerous birds alive

Gharial

Common Living Relative

Long narrow snout holds over 100 interlocking teeth — built for catching fish
One of the rarest crocodilians on Earth — critically endangered
Ancestors swam the same rivers as dinosaurs over 65 million years ago

Archaeopteryx

Rare Living Relative · Jurassic

The missing link between dinosaurs and birds — had feathers, wings, and clawed fingers
Proves that birds are not just relatives of dinosaurs — they ARE dinosaurs
Lived 150 million years ago in what is now Germany

Platinum Cards 5 cards

How to earn Platinum cards: Platinum cards are special achievement rewards in DinoDeck. Earn them by reaching milestones in your card collection — such as finding 5 cards, 20 cards, or collecting one of each card category. Platinum cards can be collected and shown to library staff during Summer Reading, June 6–July 19, 2026, to receive bonus ReadSquared codes.

Concavenator

Platinum Cretaceous · Carnivore

Had a strange bony hump on its back — scientists still aren't sure why
Bumps on its arm bones may be evidence of proto-feathers
One of the most puzzling predators ever discovered

Mathew Wedel

Platinum Paleontologist

Discovered that sauropod dinosaurs had air-filled bones, just like modern birds
This helped explain how they could grow to enormous sizes without collapsing
His research changed how scientists think about dinosaur biology

Alligator Snapping Turtle

Platinum Living Relative

Largest freshwater turtle in North America — males can top 200 pounds
Hunts by wiggling a worm-shaped lure on its tongue to attract fish
Found in Tennessee rivers — and has barely changed in millions of years

Titanomyrma

Platinum Ancient Insect

Largest ant that ever lived — queens grew as big as a hummingbird
Had no stinger — defended itself by spraying formic acid
Found in both Germany and Wyoming — likely crossed continents through a warm Arctic land bridge

Ely Kish

Platinum Paleoartist

One of the few prominent women paleoartists of the 20th century
Sculpted clay models of each animal before painting — to study how light fell across their bodies
The Smithsonian commissioned her massive mural for the Life in the Ancient Seas exhibit

Contact Info.

Main Library
350 Pageant Lane
Suite 501
Clarksville, TN 37040

North Branch Library
435 Jordan Road
Clarksville, TN 37042

Phone: 931-648-8826
Email: askalibrarian@clarksville.org

Social Media

Hours of Operation

Sun

1:00pm - 5:00pm

Mon - Thu

9:00am - 8:00pm

Fri - Sat

9:00am - 6:00pm

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Main Library

North Branch Library

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Public Library

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Dinosaurs 25 cards

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Triceratops

Stegosaurus

Brachiosaurus

Velociraptor

Ankylosaurus

Pterodactyl

Spinosaurus

Diplodocus

Carnotaurus

Iguanodon

Parasaurolophus

Pachycephalosaurus

Maiasaura

Compsognathus

Kentrosaurus

Therizinosaurus

Carcharodontosaurus

Microraptor

Amargasaurus

Protoceratops

Edmontosaurus

Tsintaosaurus

Pachyrhinosaurus

Oviraptor

Paleontologists 7 cards

Mary Anning

Barnum Brown

Mignon Talbot

Carol Faul

Charles Sternberg

Camila Martinez Aguillon

Jack Horner

Paleoartists 2 cards

Charles R. Knight

Zdeněk Burián

Ancient Insects 5 cards

Triassic Cockroach

Amber-Trapped Insect

Jurassic Beetle

Giant Dragonfly

Kalligramma

Living Relatives 6 cards

American Crocodile

Horseshoe Crab

Komodo Dragon

Cassowary

Gharial

Archaeopteryx

Platinum Cards 5 cards

Concavenator

Mathew Wedel

Alligator Snapping Turtle

Titanomyrma

Ely Kish

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