Well I don't know of a "Tractors for dummy's" (not a bad idea however) but there are a few books out there that have some good info in them. Check out sites like half.com and search for farm safety or tractor safety and there should be a few hits and the price is mostly pretty reasonable. The majority of driving/operating the machine is just safety issues - the actual operation will come very very quickly to you. Also the operator of this site wrote and markets a nice electronic book on Compact tractors that you may enjoy. You can find that from the HOME page of the site.
Speaking of this site, it has some EXCELLENT information on operating and using the tractor and asking questions will get you a lot of different opinions so you can make a well rounded decision.
I learned when I was in college to drive larger machines but looking back I had a LOT of bad advice. I worked for a Township school district mowing every summer during college and the "older guys" would tell you (some would say teach but that is a stretch) how to drive the larger machinery. Things like, "They won't roll over, they always slide first" - Sure, whatever - I will skip trying to prove that one thank you (By the way - they can flip and never slide an inch), other teaching lessons "Pull that bush out by hooking the chain on the roll bar so you can see it better" - BAD IDEA - amazing I never flipped a machine practicing that lesson... Oh and the mid mount mower "is fine for cutting that field, bush and those 3" maple trees on the edge - there built for that!" - One of the other guys couldn't figure out why the blade spindle sheered off after that adventure - they blamed it on Ford building a "crappy" mower....
My point is there is so many things to learn take it slow, ask questions, read the manual (I know that goes against every rule we men are born knowing but they do throw a little bit of useful information in those things.. (Or so my wife tells me - haha) But the most important thing is use common sense and be careful!
