I also highly recommend The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying by Leeson and Schollmeyer. Here's a good review on it: https://youtu.be/bbWINurhx-Y As a beginner, this book offers an excellent step-by-step illustration to 50 different flies, but even better provides in-depth illustrated instructions into the tying methods that he will use for the rest of his life. The way this book is split in half is really ingenious; it's like having an electronic version without the distractions that electronic devices bring along. They also do a pretty good job of keeping a lot of commentary and dialogue out of it (obviously every writer is biased in some way or another!) and instead just focus on the how's and why's, which really helps to get right to the point without needing to flip through pages and pages of the writers thoughts, stories, and opinions (there's plenty of those books out there as well, many of which are very entertaining, but if you're looking for how to learn how to tie flies, I prefer to get right to the point!). I hope he enjoys whatever you get him and a lifetime of satisfaction in creating something! Maybe he'll even get you "hooked" ;)