I loved this book as a kid and it's still one I can say I'd read again. The first three books were great, problematic house elf politics aside. Even then, SPEW wasn't a thing until Goblet of Fire and by then I was done.

Harry Potter had a very charming whodunnit format that featured a mystery to solve and a villain of the week. It was like Hardy Boys with wizards. Then it got all dark and "epic" with Harry smashing shit and getting jealous over girls.

It seems to still appeal to kids because my seven year old niece fell in love with them after visiting the theme park in Universal.