Stardust:
by Neil Gaiman

The first thing I ever read by Gaiman was Sandman; the second was American Gods. Both are fabulous, and may or may not be reviewed here someday. Gaiman is a master of the language and (by all indications) a nice guy to boot, so it is with great pleasure that I recommend his modern fairy-tale, Stardust.

His Dark Materials:
Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass
by Philip Pullman