How’s that working with reels? 
I started with the “Tin Whistle Today” book by David Harp - he uses numbers and I was playing a couple of songs within 15 minutes.
Then I got a gadzillion tunes off the net (6-1 inch notebooks full) with about half of them having tablature. The Wandering Whistler site has TONS if you choose to view the tablature.
Then I picked up a used Clarke “Tin Whistle” handbook by Bill Ochs. No tablature but a really, really good intro to the more formal stuff.
The Tin Whistle Book by Tom Maguire…uses numbers and introduces you to the more formal stuff
The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle by Grey Larsen …holy crap…more of a Masters course on the blasted instruments - I’m not there yet, but it has almost every dang thing I think a person might ask…except..can you explain it to me inSIMPLE terms…(my opinion anyway)
Someday I’ll enjoy it. maybe.
My favourite is Sandy Jasper’s Tin Whistle Tutorial with CD (Elf Song Music Series)…has the tablature and a really nice way of explaining things.
The Instant Tin Whistle books…Popular, Folk, Irish and Scottish…they have the tablature and a ton of useful things like neat fingering charts.
Honestly though, the most I’ve learned is from this priest on utube - his videos are also on the main page, lower left-hand column of but I can’t remember his name right now..he’s cool.
:-)that’s migh ten cents!
Here is my take on this.
There is probably no need to buy a book.
Find a song you want to learn.
Try and find the sheet music on line, there are lots of free resources.
Print it out.
Write the fingerings above each note. e.g. A=1 F=3 C=6 C2=6’
If you can only find the words but you have the tune in your head work it out a note at a time adjusting it to get it in a key that works on your whistle.
This is how I still learn tunes.
I can read from staff but I often write the fingerings above difficult bits to help me practice them up.
You can collect all your tunes in a binder.
Another source of music is a programme called Midi Illustrator. This will open a midi file and let you print it as sheet music. You can select to just have the melody line. I use it for resequencing existing midi files, which I adjust and use as backings, often swapping the instrumentation round and shortening or lengthening bits.
Books also don’t let you experience all the wee things that a good player does to make the tune captivating and emotive. Fluttering fingers above holes, added ornamentation etc. Use all the resources you can find but do try and book time with an experienced player - either a tutor, another C&F’er a local session or maybe a week/weekend course somewhere. I am a ‘monkey see, monkey do’ type, couldn’t do without that first hand contact. Got some books but never use them…
cheers
Stephen
learn to read music its just as easy as teaching your brain to follow the tab pictures there;s a fingering chart somewhere linked to this site on the top it says academy of advanced end blows GIBRALTAR print it have it blown up and laminated