This trilogy of children's fantasy novels is inspired by John Milton's Paradise Lost and stirred up controversy for its atheist leanings. But the series isn't all deep social commentary: With a teenage heroines, shape-shifting animal sidekicks (called d' 'mons) and warrior polar bears, His Dark Materials is really just a coming-of-age tale set in a series of parallel universes. A film based on the first book of the series, The Golden Compass, was released in 2007 starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig.