Ossian's 2025 'Storybook Walk Along Main' Starts for New School Year

Be the reason your community stays informed—give to local journalism now! OSSIAN, Iowa — Take a walk in downtown Ossian to enjoy the "Storybook Walk Along Main." The first book for the 2025 school year is "The Yellow Bus" by Loren Long, a story for any student or adult who has ridden a bus to school. The Yellow Bus is a picture book that follows the life of a school bus as it finds purpose and joy in every stage of its existence. The bus begins by driving children to school, then later carries seniors, serves as a shelter for the homeless and eventually becomes a home for animals. The book's illustrations by Long use a blend of black-and-white art with bold pops of color to highlight the yellow bus and key parts of the story. "The Yellow Bus" book cover Courtesy photo The book has received several honors, including the 2025 Ohio Book Award for Juvenile Literature, recognition as an NPR Best Book of the Year and an Amazon Best Book of the Year. It also inspired a 2023 film that won the Cinequest Global Vision Award. In addition, it has been recognized by the National School Transportation Association. The story will be displayed along Ossian Main Street for the next three weeks. It will be followed by "Pete the Cat: Firefighter Pete" during the first week of October. Funding for books and supplies for the Storybook Walk was provided by the city of Ossian and the Ossian Crown Club. Additional funding for student copies came from a Winneshiek County Community Foundation grant. The Storybook Walk is a way to enjoy the outdoors while experiencing Ossian's Main Street. Don't miss out on important updates! Subscribe to the newsletter for free and stay informed about local topics that matter most to you.