Welcome! Do not worry about boring post and such. We all started the same way. Well, maybe Melanie did not but...

I do not think PBP supports the PIC24. http://www.melabs.com/products/pbp.htm
what are you planning? I am sure there is one that will work.

As far as learning to program. Personally I am against the books. Seems every one that has used a book still comes here with basic questions. So use the examples on MeLabs web site and read this forum. Ask all of the questions you want/need.

The basic commands are the same for all of the chips PBP supports. Pretty much each PIC has it's own setup but many are close to the same. I am taking about the configs, analog and such.

You will probably end up with a handfull of PICs that you use the most so you will become comfortable with those. Need a new PIC and have trouble with it? Ask.

A couple of PICs that might be good to start with is the 16F877A and the 18F4550. Between the two you should be able to do most anything.