Have been "gone hunting" for a few days.

I have usually found the most effective way to choose a rifle for a beginning hunter, whether a kid or adult or someone in between, is get together a small collection of various rifles, and have the beginner shoot them--to find out what THEY prefer to shoot in terms of recoil, stock shape, etc. etc.

Have known quite a few adult hunters who picked what they thought would be the perfect "kid's rifle," and have it not work out.

“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.”
John Steinbeck