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You usually need a building permit for a deck. It's not complicated to get one but the reason is that many people build decks themselves and if they are not properly footed or attached to the house, they can collapse in extreme cases.
You got a book, read it. Go to Home Depot and find the section with the pressure treated lumber and the Trexx lumber. Spend a long time looking at each and every piece of lumber and hardware. Figure out what the stuff is that you don't know and decide if you will make the deck out of pressure treated or some other material. Don't forget about paint or stain if that's what is required.
They also have planning guides in those aisles -pieces of paper you rip off of a tablet that is hanging on the wall that gives you a grid to plan out hte deck. Use those or something similar to draw up a plan. I used Google sketchup to model the existing deck on my house and it would be a good tool for visualizing what kind of deck you want and how much material it will take.
Go to your parents with the plan, a bill of materials/cost estimate, and a proposal to do the work in X number of days. That should convince them that you can do it.
The main thing about a deck is to locate and dig the footers right using concrete -you can mix it up right on the site. If you locate and level them properly, framing the deck will go smoothly and putting the floor boards on the deck is dead simple. Railings require a little more skill, but if you have planned on where they go, it will go much easier. They have pre-made spindles and posts that make the job simpler.
See if you can get a friend to help. It's always easier with a helper. Not required, though. You can do it.
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