Innes,I have a friend who's interested in learning Stencyl,what is better for beginners the video course or www.TheStencylBook.com
I'd recommend doing the beginner's video course first, because it's free, and it will give your friend a chance to decide if they enjoy using Stencyl.
Whether the advanced course, or the book is 'better', is a matter of learning preferences. Some people like to have a physical book (or ebook) propped up on their desk whilst they learn, whilst others prefer video. Also, the video course is interactive, so if students have any questions, or need help with any of the topics covered in the course, I will respond in the course discussion.
Joining the free course provides the best discount available for the main video course, so it's definitely worth signing up for that - there's absolutely nothing to lose by signing up for the free course.
Note that the beginner's course is free when using the link provided in the first post of this topic.