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Hungry for a little summer ADVENTURE? Something you can really sink your TEETH into? Something for the body AND mind?? And make it ADORABLE, you say??? OKAY!! Let us recommend this week's fresh, all-local Summer Game special: an explorer badge featuring a healthy walk through downtown Ann Arbor, warmed to perfection by sunbaked pavement blocks, and paired with a scrumptious little picture book about a TINY DONKEY hankering for a STORY! 

To complete this badge, visit all 8 participating locations around downtown and Kerrytown to find pages (and codes!) from Chico Chews a Tale in sidewalk-facing storefront windows! Chico Chews a Tale was written by AADL's beloved retired librarian and storyteller, Laura Pershin Raynor, in dedication to former AADL Library Director, Josie Parker, upon her retirement in 2022.  It was commissioned by the Ladies Library Association. 

Pro Tips:

• BIG ONE: If you have trouble reading any of the actual story, please have a look at the downloadable PDF!
• You can follow the optional walking route to read the story as you go, but you don't have to!
• The game codes in this badge look a little different—bigger printouts that also include the story pages.
• Look for the colorful border and big, red code text to spot these from afar.
• This will be harder to do during Art Fair (July 17-19), so plan ahead or avoid it during that time.
• Going with your littles? Bring the stroller (even if they don't need it half the time).
• This is all on paved sidewalks—stroller and wheelchair friendly! However, Spun has a short set of stairs if you are trying to get up close to read the story. You should be able to read the code itself from the sidewalk, though!

Map:

Walking distance (total round trip if doing it all in one go!):
If you drive there = about 1.25 miles
If you bus there = 1.5 miles

HOURS
Whenever you're comfortable walking around downtown!

GETTING THERE:
Driving? Parking is available in surface lots, garages, and street spaces throughout downtown, which are free after 6pm on Mon-Sat and free on Sundays. If you want to start at the location that has the first page of the book, the First & Huron Parking Lot (with entrances on Ashley, Washington, and 1st) or the Ashley Street Lot are good bets most days.

Busing? TheRide's Blake Transit Center is right downtown and only a couple blocks from many of these codes. All are walkable from the bus station. More information here. 

BEGIN You can do this badge in any order you want. But if you are trying to get them all done at once, we suggest starting with Sweetwaters at the corner of Ashely and Washington (which is near a plethora of parking). Then work your way south, east, and north to finish up in Kerrytown.