June,
Hello, and welcome to IceInSpace.
I've not heard of the AstroMaster. Have you got a link for us?
If you don't want to be disappointed, then, steer very clear of eBay telescopes, as well as "department store telescopes" such as the ones sold at Australian Geographic and Dick Smiths stores. They're commonly referred to as wobbletronics. Buy one of them for a loved one and you'll likely turn them off astronomy for life.
Other people may chime in, and, they'll tell you the same thing: if you're just starting out, there is absolutely no possible way that you could go wrong by buying a Dobsonian telescope. A popular choice amongst beginners are the GSO (Guan Sheng Optics) Dobsonian telescopes. They're relatively cheap, portable and easy to set up (pick it up, plonk it down, and start viewing).
If, after a while, you find you and your family's interest has grown, you can then start looking at some more serious equipment, such as refractors or Schmidt-Cassegrain-type telescopes.
Have a look at
Andrews Communications and
Bintel for some good deals.
Regards,
Humayun