that are classic Easter gifts for youngsters

Don’t pack only chocolate bunnies in your child’s Easter basket. Pack a few bunny books too, advises Robin Daykin, owner of the Enchanted Elf book and toy shop, 703 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, (213) 379-7992.

Dakin favors these 10 bunny books because “no matter how often these books are read, the reader will discover something new. It might be a detail in a picture that was overlooked or a new meaning that now touches your child’s heart. Even the simplest of these books will capture the imagination and take you on a journey,” she says.

Her top 10 bunny books are:

“Pat the Bunny” (Dorothy Kunhardt, $4.95) is an ideal choice as a first book for baby. It is an activity book that teaches three senses. Feel the fluffy bunny, smell the flowers, play a game of peek-a-boo. First published in 1947, this little, spiral-bound book hasn’t lost its appeal for the very young child.

“The Pudgy Bunny Book” (Ruth Sanderson, $2.95) is a small, fat book with sturdy pages. A toddler can be in charge of turning the pages without ripping them. The illustrations are in color. A parent can build a child’s vocabulary by pointing and identifying colors, animals and other objects.

Miffy adventures are written and illustrated by Dick Bruna. In the series are stories of Miffy, the young bunny, on trips to the beach, the playground, the zoo and other familiar places about town. The illustrations are bold, colorful graphics using a minimum of detail, and the text is just a few simple sentences per page. The 2- or 3-year-old youngster will quickly identify with Miffy and her family and will want to collect the complete series. Among the titles are “Miffy at the Hospital” “Miffy at the Seaside,” “Miffy’s Birthday,” “Miffy at the Playground”; each $2.95.

“The Tale of Peter Rabbit” (Beatrix Potter, $3.95 and up, depending on edition). A bunny-book list would not be complete without the most famous rabbit of all--Peter. He has delighted generations of readers, and it’s a sign of our action-packed times that the original illustrations have been engineered into a pop-up book. For those who have forgotten, mischievous Peter ignores his mother’s warnings and ventures into Mr. MacGregor’s garden. He is spotted by Mr. MacGregor and runs for his life barely escaping capture. (Many tabs to pull and flaps to lift.) Although he loses his blue coat in the chase, he’s grateful not to be that evening’s rabbit pie.

“The Tale of Benjamin Bunny” (Beatrix Potter, $3.95 and up). Peter Rabbit’s adventure continues in this sequel when Peter’s naughty cousin, Benjamin, instigates another trip into Mr. MacGregor’s garden to retrieve Peter’s blue coat. Benjamin and Peter are trapped under a basket by the mean farm cat. Fortunately, before Mr. MacGregor finds them, they are rescued by young Ben’s father. Mr. Benjamin Bunny--a rather fierce, bad bunny himself.

“The Runaway Bunny” (Margaret Wise Brown, $3.95 paperback; $7.95 hard-cover). “I am running away,” pouts the baby bunny.

“I will run after you,” says his mother, “for you are my little bunny.”

Mother and child play a game of words as the baby threatens to run away and the mother reassures him that she will always find him. If he is a fish, she will be the fisherman who catches him. If he is a bird, she will be the tree he comes home to.

The baby bunny is camouflaged in the illustrations. A child and older reader can play their own game as they search each background for the hidden bunny.

“Fuzzy Rabbit” (Rosemary Billam, $1.95), a homemade stuffed bunny, feels neglected and jealous when the little girl, Ellen, plays with newer toys. Then, knowing how he feels, Ellen plumps up his worn body and gives him a hug. She has a tea party in which he is the guest of honor. Fuzzy cheers up and starts to make friends with the stuffed owl and the fancy doll. This is a reassuring book for the youngster expecting a new sibling, or for the preschooler adjusting to being part of a group. The simple message: You are still special even when your parents or friends love others.

“Home for a Bunny” (Margaret Wise Brown, $3.50) uses melodic rhymes to tell of the little bunny searching for a springtime home. His home is not under a log with a groundhog, not in a bog with a frog. Where is bunny’s home? The large, full-color illustrations show where other forest animals live and where bunny finally settles down and calls it a home of his own.

“What Do You Call a Dumb Bunny?” (Marc Brown, $3.95) is a slim paperback chock full of rabbit riddles, jokes and amazing rabbit facts. By age 5 a child will have developed a sense of humor and will probably tell the same jokes over and over again. Add to his repertoire with this collection of the goofiest bunny jokes ever. What do you call a rabbit with fleas? (Bugs Bunny). Marc Brown’s cartoon-like illustrations will add to the hilarity of this “basket stuffer.”

“The Velveteen Rabbit” (Margery Williams, $2.50 and up) will enchant the whole family. It’s the magical tale of “how toys become Real.” The toy rabbit, all plush and brand new, is told by an older and wiser toy that “when a child loves you for a long, long time, then you become real.” Although he loves his little boy owner, the bunny yearns to be real. Real like the outdoor rabbits who jump and dance and play in the fields. The little boy grows older and the velveteen bunny, now threadbare and worn from so much hugging, is thrown out with the rubbish. Will he ever be real? It happens! No longer a velveteen rabbit. Now a real rabbit.

In addition to being at the Enchanted Elf, these books are available at B. Dalton Bookstores; Jan’s Books, 6018 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 931-6170, and Pages, 18399 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 342-6657.