"Livewire" is a range of reading material with a teenage/adult interest level for those with reading ages below 10, or for adult students learning English as a second or foreign language.

All "Livewire" titles have been written by qualified special needs teachers, and have been assessed by The Basic Skills Agency to ensure accessibility in both layout and content.

They are also subtly colour-coded for the appropriate "reading age".This text on the Black Death is part of the "Livewire Investigates" series, which explores a range of careers, sports and natural phenomena.