Gift ideas -- art, literature, books for children; Heirloom 'Alice' for children; Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by John Speirs. New York: Simon & Schuster. 254 pp. $14.95

Adults and children alike will gladly follow Alice down the rabbit-hole in a new heirloom edition of this captivating classic. Master illustrator John Speirs animates the story with rich, finely rendered pen-and-ink drawings that catch the whimsy and imagination of Alice's dream world.

In addition to the generous number of black-and-white drawings, 10 choice scenes, including the Mad Hatter's never-ending tea party and the croquet game with the Queen of Hearts, are portrayed in watercolor hues on color plates. ''Alice,'' one of six elegant volumes of Simon and Schuster's classics new this fall, has many special decorative touches and is printed on acid-free paper to ensure longevity and a place in family libraries for years to come.