Dorrit is a child whose father has been in prison ever since she could remember.

Unable to
pay their debts, the whole family is forced to spend their days in a cell.

Dorrit thinks about the outside world and longs to see it. This excerpt introduces you to the
family and their life in prison. The novel is about how they manage to get out and how Dorrit
never forgets the kindness of the people who helped her. 
What Is Great About It: Injustice in law is often reserved for the poor. “Little Dorrit”
shows clearly how it works in society. It is about the government jailing people for not being
able to return their loans, a historical practice the writer hated since his own father was
punished in a similar way. The story reveals how the rich cheat the poor and then put them
into prisons instead of facing punishment.
14. “To Build a Fire” by Jack London
Reading Level: Fairly Easy
A man travels to a freezing, isolated place called Yukon. He only has his dog with him for
company. Throughout his journey, he ignores the advice other people had given him and
takes his life for granted. Finally, he realizes the real power of nature and how delicate (easily
broken) human life actually is.
What Is Great About It: The classic fight between life and death has always fascinated us.
Nature is often seen as a powerful force which should be feared and respected. The man in
this story is careless and, despite having helpful information, makes the silly mistakes. He
takes the power of natural forces too lightly.

The animal is the one who is cautious and sensible in this dangerous situation. By the end,
readers wonder who is really intelligent—the man who could not deal with nature or the dog
who could survive?

15. “Evil Robot Monkey” by Mary Robinette Kowal

Reading Level: Intermediate