For any carvers just starting out, Basswood/Tilia/Lime is usually thought of as being the most forgiving.
Many of the angiosperm (aka hardwoods) really tighten up when they dry.
Here in the PacNW, alder carvings (eg masks) are often submerged in a bucket of water until finished except for sanding
However, they do hold excellent detail. Birch doesn't stiffen quite so much, I've done many carvings in that and liked the texture.
Conifer wood of most any species is prone to long run-out splitting and chipping.
You have to 'learn' the wood. Maybe years, as it has been in my case.
I carve just about nothing but western red cedar and some yellow cedar.
But, I know now what to do and how to do it to avoid most of the common problems.
For example, you can skip any ideas about fine detail!