Perhaps we should also ask what books he already has and why he doesn't just ask for a particular one that he would like but doesn't have yet?
If one gets too picky about the features that a book must or must not have it might rule out pretty much all of the currently available titles. For instance The Southern Sky Guide by David Ellyard and Will Tirion does pretty much what the title suggests and is packed with charts and information. But no coloured pictures, alas. Whether the information and charts are interesting and useful, or just old hat, would depend entirely on the previous research and experience of the reader. And that's always a personal thing. And so on...
It seems that the perfect book, like the perfect telescope, is largely imaginary and most enthusiasts end up with a selection of both, for different purposes.
