Check it out. Goes from basic to database munipulation to reading and writing files. Great piece of work.
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/PHP/PHP-101-Part-1–Secret-Agent-Man/
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/PHP/PHP-101-Part-2–Shakespeares-Rose/
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/PHP/PHP-101-part-3–Chocolate-Fudge-And-Time-Machines/
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/PHP/PHP-101-part-4–Look-MaIts-Alive/
http://www.devshed.com/c/a/PHP/PHP-101-part-5–The-Wonderland-Factor/
If you go in order, its like a story. Its very nice.
