Alchemy and Meggy Swann

"Ye toads and vipers!" and so starts the story of  Meggy Swann in Alchemy and Meggy Swann (Clarion, 2010) by Karen Cushman.  Ms. Cushman seems to have cornered the market when it comes to historical fiction featuring young girls in hardships.  In this newest novel, Meggy Swann, a crippled young girl who has been raised by her grandmother, is sent to live with her father whom she has never met.  Her father was expecting a boy and certainly did not expect a young girl who uses walking sticks to get around.  Master Swann is an alchemist who is currently working on a "potion" for eternal life.  Meggy discovers that he has an evil plan that puts the Baron in great danger and Meggy sets out to try to save him and in turn keep her father's head attached to his body.  After listening to the audio version of this book, I realized that I am a much better visual learner.  Bravo to Ms. Katherine Kellgren who did an excellent job of using different voices for each of the characters in the story.  It was a pleasure to be told the story.  I would recommend reading the author's note in advance of reading the story.  I wished that I would have myself so some of the Elizabethan terms would have been better understood.  This book would be an excellent choice for students in grades 4-8.  I am somewhat concerned that the time period may not attract the attention of young readers.  This book could be used along with a discussion on Elizabethan customs.