Books like The journal of Sean Sullivan by William Durbin

After graduating college, journalist Jon Krakauer traces the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young adventurer who abandoned possessions, took the name Alexander Supertramp, and ventured into Alaska’s wilderness, where he met his untimely death.

Jeannette Walls' memoir chronicles her turbulent childhood in a dysfunctional, itinerant family, detailing poverty, alcoholism, and homelessness across the United States as she seeks stability and personal growth.

Ernest Hemingway’s Louisiana‑born narrator takes readers through the 1920s Lost Generation—expatriates on Paris’s Left Bank, bullfights in Spain, and the era’s moral and spiritual unraveling.

In 1941 Lithuania, fifteen‑year‑old Lina and her family are deported by the Soviets to a Siberian labor camp; through art and resilience they endure brutal conditions and strive to survive the long journey ahead.

A true‑story chronicle of the University of Washington’s 1936 eight‑oar crew, whose perseverance and teamwork led them to Olympic gold amid the Great Depression and the rise of Nazi Germany.

A thrilling adventure through a mystical railway system, where a young mole trainee navigates the treacherous and dangerous landscape of the railsea.

When her father is murdered by the infamous Rose Riders for a journal that locates a hidden gold mine, 18‑year‑old Kate Thompson masquerades as a boy and rides the harsh plains in pursuit of truth and vengeance.

Kate watches her father build the Canadian Pacific Railway, learning the triumphs and dangers of the transcontinental line while dreaming of Canada's future.

A pair of twins steal a new train engine and cause chaos on the London Underground, much to the annoyance of the adult passengers and a steam locomotive engineer.

When the three big trains refuse to go up the mountain in the deep snow, the Little Red Train finds brave helpers and goes on a rescue mission to take food to the stranded villagers.

You might think that “Golden” is a strange name for a town, but Golden, Colorado is called that for a very good reason. It started with a boy named Tommy. All Tommy had was a dream to begin a new life, and his best friend, Blaster the Burro. Well, that was all he had, until he found something amazing in the creek at the bottom of the foothills. That creek, and the amazing thing he found, changed his life forever. What did Tommy find? How did it change his life? And why is Golden called Golden? This is a tale of how dreams can come true, but they do not always come easy. Dreams take time, skill, and often, a great deal of help and teamwork. It teaches young readers that the path to success isn’t always simple, and the path that you think you need to take isn’t necessarily the one that will get you to your destination. Follow Tommy, Blaster, and their new friends to discover what it takes to build a town like Golden.

An inspiring true story of a WWII pilot’s survival, resilience, and redemption, examined through detailed battlefield context and human courage.

A young Finnish immigrant's diary detailing his journey from Finland to America and his experiences in Minnesota's iron mining community, including a union strike.

A touching diary of a twelve‑year‑old slave girl’s journey from Alexandria, Virginia, to freedom in St. Catherine’s, Canada, via the Underground Railroad.

Two young boys learn the lesson of patience and adventure in this charming children's novel featuring classic railroad themes.

A diary‑based mystery set on a college campus, where a student detective unravels intrigue among Greek letter societies, blending investigation, adventure, and suspense in a fresh juvenile fiction backdrop.