Rating:  - Great for learning SQL
Of all the books I've read for SQL, this is the one that I wished I had when I was getting started. Like other titles in the Head First series, this book is written for people who aren't into reading textbooks. The book is not only very imformative and complete, it is also quite fun to read. For anyone looking to get their feet wet with SQL, this is the place to start.
Rating:  - Finally they made it simple
I think this book is for those of us who are having a hard time grasping the concept of SQL. Not for the experts but the rest of us. It put's things in a way that most people can absorb the information.
I have bought severl SQL books in the hopes of understanding and this is the first one that really got through to me.
Rating: - Good beginner / intermediate guide to SQL
In typical Head First style, this book is a hip trip down SQL lane, gently imparting concepts and techniques that stick to your brain.
The book elegantly mixes the core concepts of writing SQL with solid principles of database design (with more than a dash of good humor). There are tons of exercises and examples, which help you to not only understand the language concepts being taught, but you get a good sense of good (and bad) database design at the same time. The author reasons that we often times are called upon to work with or fix bad a database design, so the book teaches you just that. And of course, you learn how to create a good design at the same time.
What it is not: A comprehensive SQL reference. It is based mostly on MySQL as a database (the recommended tool to use for completing exercises for this book), and the book teaches techniques that might not work in other databases. I used Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for my exercises, and I spent a lot of time looking up how to get some functions to work; in some cases MS has a slightly different structure, but in some cases there is no comparable function in MS SQL (of course, the opposite can be said about MySQL as well - MySQL can't do everything some other databases can). However, in the end, this aided in my learning about SQL, as well as learning about the strengths and weaknesses of the various databases.
If you are a seasoned DBA or a SQL guru, stay away...you are there already. But if you just starting out, you can't go wrong with this book.
Rating: - SQL for Somewhat Intelligent Folks
Great step-by-step instructions for those who want to start with the basics to learning SQL. Very text-book like: it includes practice exercises for each concept taught. The "head-first" books do a nice job of keeping things light by including quirky pictures and interesting subjects for practice exercises (clowns, drinks, etc.)
Rating: - good tutorial
I am enjoying this book. It is quite basic, but a good refresher for me to tune up my SQL skills.
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