A young girl with a mysterious mask must find her way through a world where memories are currency and identity is a puzzle to be solved.
Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin introduce us to Rune, a girl who wakes up in a strange land with no memory of her past and a mask she cannot remove. In this first installment of the series, she travels through the city of Chiaroscuro, meeting an odd cast of characters while trying to outrun those who want to steal her “thousand faces.” This adventure serves as the opening chapter of a four-book journey. By following Rune’s quest across several volumes, readers get a consistent world to return to, which helps them feel comfortable with the setting and the stakes without having to learn an entirely new magic system every time they pick up a book.
This series is a fantastic fit for English language learners and students who find dense blocks of text intimidating. The graphic novel format relies heavily on the artwork to tell the story, allowing students to use visual cues to decode the plot even if they struggle with specific vocabulary. Because the characters and the art style remain the same throughout the four books, students build a sense of familiarity that makes each subsequent volume easier to tackle. In a classroom setting, this predictability is a huge confidence booster for reluctant readers. They can focus on the action and the dialogue because they already understand the “rules” of Rune’s world. The themes of identity and belonging are also highly relatable for middle-grade students, making it easier for them to connect with Rune’s personal struggles.
Total Books in Series: 4
Best Starting Point: Rune: The Tale of a Thousand Faces
