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As jaso said, if the "read to me" function is important to you, you may want to consider something like rooting the stock OS, though there's every possibility it will be included in a future version of the app (the fairly recent inclusion of magazines suggests to me that eventually it will).
I can't say I've explored a lot of launchers and themes, but there's quite a bit that can be done to prettify and simplify the ADWLauncher that comes loaded on CM7. The simplest is, change the wallpaper. The rippling water live wallpaper that comes with CM7 is very soothing.
Next, remove almost everything from the main home screen. A time-and-weather widget and a link to one reader (I like Aldiko) is about all you need. You might include a Wi-Fi toggle widget if you think the notifications bar will be too much for her.
Drag more relevant apps onto the dockbar, and play with the dockbar settings to get the behavior you think will work best for her.
Set up the home screen to the left with a grouping of social/web shortcuts like Facebook, Gmail, Gmaps, and bookmarks to her favorite news/gossip/etc sites. For Facebook, just make a browser bookmark shortcut and edit it with the Facebook icon--the actual site is a lot more usable than any of the apps. I would make a separate grouping on this home screen for web stores like the Nook and Kindle apps, the Amazon app store, and the Android market.
On the home screen to the right, group shortcuts for the video player, audio player, picture gallery, and downloads folder (in case she downloads any files from the browser), as well as any streaming or media discovery services she uses. In a separate grouping on the same screen, set up shortcuts to any games she likes.
Even with the farthest right and left screens blank, your home screens should have more open space in the middle than space taken up by shortcuts.
In the category of un-F***ing it before she A's the Q:
*Find a browser you think she'll like and set up a desktop User Agent to prevent her getting directed to mobile sites.
*Set up the Nook Tweaks app to improve the audio output.
*Break it in: follow all your shortcuts to make sure defaults are set up properly, accounts are registered, and settings are right.
Hopefully that gives you some ideas.
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