Chess For Children, Ted Nottingham shows how the pieces moves and basic strategy of each piece. The book uses the "Lincolnshire System," what I have called the pawn game, to teach basic pawn strategy. There are other techniques, including "The Mad Queen" that work well with kids learning the game.
The Kids’ Book of Chess, Harvey Kidder introduces the game with wonderful illustrations. The sections on strategy are quite limited, but this would be a colorful way to introduce a child to chess.
Starting Chess, Harriet Castor is a well illustrated first book of chess, suitable for a yound child. Puzzles and good graphics will hold your child's interest.
Chess for Kids : How to Play (and How to Win), Conn McQuinn teaches how the pieces move, and provides examples for the beginning and the end of the game. Learn about pins, forks, skewers, and castling. The book comes with a chessboard and pieces.
Chess for Juniors: A Complete Guide for the Beginner, Robert M. Snyder covers all the rules, and also adds introductory chapters on basic opening and endgame strategy.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Chess (2nd edition), Patrick Wolff provides a comprehensive introduction to chess, from how the pieces move through basic strategy, opening priciples, basic tactics, and simple endgames.
Winning Chess Strategy for Kids, Jeff Coakley covers the rules, the basic mates, and elementary tactics, and then proceeds through more advanced strategies, including piece development, pawn structure, and attacking the castled king. Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess, Bobby Fischer. One of the greatest players ever introduces the game by showing off checkmates and endgames. He starts with simple mates and progresses to more complex tactics.
Chess for Kids, Michael Basman shows that a strong player can still communicate effectively with yound players. Nicely produced, with effective graphics. Includes piece movement, the basics of setting up the board, and gets to the value of the pieces and how to read and write chess notation.
TASC Chess CD 2 . Excellent for beginners or intermediate players. A comprehensive 5 step chess course, in a total of 2600 positions, helps newcomers get a solid foundation of all the basics and moves up to more advanced strategies and endgames.
Understanding Chess Move by Move. British GM John Nunn takes readers through 30 modern games move by move with straight forward prose, avoiding any technical jargon. Nunn emphasizes principles that readers will be able to apply to their own games.
