Re Gleim:
I'm an FAA AGI (advanced ground school instructor) and I teach the CAA ground school at OBA here in Florida, so I can make some comparisons between the FAA approach to tests and the CAA approach to tests.
Gleim *is* the FAA test bank - under the Freedom Of Information act, the FAA test banks for all ratings are public record, and Gleim (among others) has repackaged them into a handy book with some (not much) of their own commentary.
Your friend *can* use this to pass the FAA written, but it really should be supplememented by other materials. The test bank by itself does not engender understanding, it is necessary to connect it to the real world, in a larger context.
The FAA picks their test questions on the basis of "so and so bent his airplane, what didn't he know that caused this accident?" The FAA questions are very much safety and procedure oriented. It is possible to pass the test and not know very much about airplanes.
The CAA seems to pick the test questions on the basis of "how arcane can we get?" and their technology stops dead in 1940. Knowing the difference between monocoque and semi-monocoque construction of an aircraft, and knowing the composition of the atmosphere are utterly useless to pilots, and figuring the cloud height with a wet-bulb thermometer defies description. I'm 60 years of age, been flying 30+ years, and I've never even SEEN a wet bulb thermometer or even a picture of one - but I have read a description of it, thank you Google.
It is also quite possible to pass the CAA tests and not know very much about airplanes.
My suggestion is for your friend to ATTEND THE GROUND SCHOOL where ever she goes for her flight training, and use the printed materials (Gleim, ASA, Jepps, whoever) as a SUPPLEMENT instead of a replacement for the ground school. She'll learn what she needs to know in the ground school, and if she pays attention (and the instructor is any good), then the Gleim book will be icing on the cake.
And tell her to have a good time - she'll love it!
Best Regards,
EchoMike