Elizabeth Fry is specifically written to meet the needs of adolescents and adults who are reluctant readers. The photographs, maps, and illustrations reflect the text, making the words easy to decode. This high-interest, low-vocabulary biography is ideal for English as a Second Language or adult basic education students.

Elizabeth Fry (1780-1845) visited Newgate prison in 1812. She was horrified by the crowded and dirty prison conditions. The women did their own cooking and washing in the small cells in which they slept. She returned the following day with food and clothes for some of the prisoners. Fry was a major driving force behind new legislation to make the treatment of prisoners more humane.