A J-frame might just be a good beginner's gun, if her hands are small enough. I HAVE seen this myself, though it was notably with all-stainless-steel J-frames, not light alloy-framed guns. PPK? Well, one caution: Those little monsters KICK. The combination of fixed barrel and small size causes quite a kick, in comparison to a locked-breech design, in which the barrel will unlock as the slide is already in motion to the rear. I have taught small-handed beginners with my Colt Mustang, which really does have soft recoil; a PPK is a little monster in comparison. A Kahr K9 is another soft-recoiling weapon, compared to a PPK. I am not saying the PPK hurts me, or anyone else, but the sudden snap of the recoil is distracting. My wife has a .380 PP, and I did have a .380 PPK, so I could compare them side-by-side. The lightly longer grip of the PP, plus the greater weight of the steel due to the longer grip and barrel/frame, make the PP much less of a kicker in recoil. Another hearty recommendation for the SP101; I carry one or more with me 24/7. I also agree with those who have said it is important to let HER choose, but she might need some guidance, in case she has some preconceived mistaken notions in her head, such as the idea that lighter guns lick less, or that smaller guns kick less. Those are VERY common ideas among non-shooters.