Several parents have asked me about which is the best chess book for those in the beginners-intermediate category, which covers the majority of our students.
Over the years I've found this to be the 'Comprehensive Chess Course' by Pelts & Alburt. The book starts from absolute beginner and takes the student up to competent county player. It's partly in the form of a workbook, so it may well worth using a pencil so that you can come back later and re-test yourself.
The book has recently been split into two volumes and retails at around £9 (Vol 1) and £13 (Vol 2) from Amazon, though you can get them cheaper from other suppliers. The product details are;
Comprehensive Chess Course: Learn Chess in 12 Lessons v. 1 (by Roman Pelts & Lev Alburt ISBN-10: 1889323004 ISBN-13: 978-1889323008 and Comprehensive Chess Course: From Beginner to Tournament Player in 12 Lessons v. 2 by Roman Pelts & Lev Alburt ISBN-10: 1889323012 ISBN-13: 978-1889323015
How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (Hardcover) by Murray Chandler
Publisher: Gambit Publications Ltd (2 Jan 1998)
ISBN-10: 1901983056 & ISBN-13: 978-1901983050
Chess Tactics for Kids (Hardcover) by Murray Chandler
Publisher: Gambit Publications Ltd (19 Aug 2003)
ISBN-10: 1901983994 & ISBN-13: 978-1901983999
Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games (Paperback) by Laszlo Polgar
Paperback: 1104 pages Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers Inc (24 April 2006)
ISBN-10: 1579125549 & ISBN-13: 978-1579125547
Experienced / Advanced
How to Reassess Your Chess: The Complete Chess Mastery Course (Paperback)
by Jeremy Silman -- Publisher: Silman-James Press, U.S. Expanded 3rd Ed edition (1 Mar 1997)
ISBN-10: 1890085006 & ISBN-13: 978-1890085001
Capablanca's Best Chess Endings: 60 Complete Games (Paperback)
by Irving Chernev -- Publisher: Dover Publications Inc. (1 Feb 1982)
ISBN-10: 0486242498 & ISBN-13: 978-0486242491
The Art of Attack in Chess (Paperback) by Vladimir Vukovic
Publisher: Everyman Chess; 2Rev Ed edition (1 Dec 1998)
ISBN-10: 1857444000 & ISBN-13: 978-1857444001