Maybe a book for someone just starting with digital photography – any recommendations?

A bit more background info would be useful?
Something like what equipment they already have, or what they like photographing, or objectives and/or budget.
A book would be a good start, I prefer books showcasing work rather than “How to…” books.

Well they’re only 11, just using a compact at the mo, but a dSLR is on the cards next birthday

Budget wise I’m only going to be spending 10-15 quid

Working the camera is the easy bit once you understand exposure
Learning to see the light and envision the shot
Is where the skill talent is

Ive got a couple of joe mcnallys books gathering dust you can have
Dave black has a nice book out but a bit pricey

Annie liebovitz would also be an other inspirational character

I’d suggest a “how to” book would be great when they have a dSLR. It’s well worth encouraging people to switch to manual mode, use a simple prime lens, and learn.

For now, how about a Flickr Pro account? Meets your price point, they can be given as a gift too I think, and lets them upload photos into a social community, connect with others, and get loads of inspiration.

The Photographers Eye – I found this book really good once I knew how my camera worked

The Photographers Eye seconded. Good book and understandable for an 11yo.

Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.
The basics.

Apart from a book, have you hought about a DSLR magazine sub?