I highly recommend "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess" (by, duh, Bobby Fischer). A diagram on every page, with the solution on the next. Cool format: you get to the back of the book, turn it upside down, and work to the front. First few pages get in the basic moves, then on to simple checkmates, then more complexity.

Another great diagram-heavy book but for intermediate to advanced is Lev Alburt's "Chess Training Pocket Book".