Best introductory finite element book

Dear Jacob:

Thank you very much for pointing out this book. I have taught a junior/senior course on finite element methods once, and could not find a suitable book.

So far as continuum mechanics is concerned, our students only have the background of bars and beams, as taught in an sophomore course on Strength of Materials. In this introductory course we try to add some PDEs in elasticity, but we don't really have enough time for students to grasp the subject. Consequently, in the finite element course we have to introduce elasticity again. We do let students use ABAQUS. By the end of semester they can use ABAQUS to do quite creative and sophisticated projects.

I'll study your book, and see if it can be adapted for our course here.