As far as recoil goes, I'm going to remove the stock recoil pad and install a grind-to-fit Limb Saver before we move up to the .243. I have a 336 and she has trouble holding it up. She's tall and thin. You can't compare girls to boys at that age. I was 10 when I started hunting in the Everglades with a H&R single shot 20g using 00 loads. Kicked like hell but I did what I had to do. I shot skeet with that gun too at that age.

If you have a son or daughter that can manage a bolt or lever action safely and don't mind spending the money then go for it. My daughter has shot very little, you might say we're starting from scratch. I want to start her out in the easiest action there is. With the Trifecta package we can progress from .22 to .243 to 20g on the same platform. I can't help but feel this is the best way to go for a child. I know the Trifecta isn't a 300 yard gun, hell maybe not a 200 yard gun. I'm sure the gun will do 3" or less at 100 yards. Where we hunt most of the shots will be closer to 50 yards. It will be a couple years before she can shoot better than the gun (I hope :)  ) Something to think about. Good luck and let us know how it works out.  

My choice is the Weathby Vanguard in the compact/youth model.  It has a plastic stock of some type small sized but also has a full sized stock that you can swap out for when the child is grown or an adult might want to use it.

I am going to go with the 308 and use the Remington and now Federal reduced power loads in 308.  Same caliber as my other rifles but useful as my 8 year old grows up.

I have a 16 year old daughter ( about 95 lbs now)that started hunting when she was when she was 9 yo.(about 65 lbs then) after her hunter safety program .I got her a .243 at first and she hated it, she loved my dads rifle so he got her her own just like it, it is a Browing bar .270. and she has always handled it and loves it. to her there is no other gun--nothing gets away from her with it.   A 11 yo can handle a .270--especially like the bar that is litle heavy for recoil sake---- but as with any gun when they shot at game nothing has recoil.  BUY IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME