I finished the beginning section in the Arduino book - getting the Arduino connected to my computer, uploading a sample program, and getting the onboard LED to blink. Between the book and the Arduino website, I found the setup instructions to be fairly straightforward (though you have to assume that screenshots aren't always going to match exactly given the way operating systems constantly change). There are many Arduino models on the market, but I decided to use the Uno as it seems to be the most common right now. What I like about the Wiley books is that the chapters are called "adventures." They don't just tell you to upload an example file and move on, but they step you through the code explaining each command. Plus at the end of each adventure, they ask you to build something hands-on. In the first adventure, they want you to build your own LED circuit, not just rely on the one built into the Uno. I think this makes it a lot more engaging for the students.
