Lesley Stanfield's book, First Crochet, is a good collection of crochet projects for beginners. You'll find a nice variety here, from pillows, hats and scarves to a bath mat, baby booties, and a sweet little storage/gift bag.
The book starts with a brief introduction to the basics of crocheting. The projects are divided into sections according to the techniques used: the first set use single crochet only, the second, double crochet. Part three introduces shaping, and part four offers some slightly more complicated variations on basic stitches. The book is nicely illustrated with large colour photographs, and the crochet directions are stated in clear language, with thorough cross-referencing to the pages where related techniques appear.
I do recommend obtaining other resources for instruction on how to crochet, because this book covers the topic only briefly. But once you understand the basics of the craft, pick up this book for its cute and simple projects.
