Hi Jordan,
Erick's suggestion of going to Bintel and having a talk is a very good idea.
But don't be talked into an equatorial mount, they're a pain to use unless it has a 'go to' on it. An altazimuth mount or a dobsonian mount is
easy and perfect for a 9 year old, but a dob will need collimating, so maybe the refractor is the right idea for a child.
Ease of use = encouragement.
