There still exist toys that were made at the concentration camp at Belsen. Here, Miriam, 12, tells of secretly helping the women make these stuffed figures--an owl, a patchwork elephant- -for a party to be held for the children when they are liberated. Unlike her friends Sarah and little David, Miriam remembers having toys and food; she also remembers her parents. Old Jacoba may scold, but--piece by piece--she contributes her only sweater. Miriam herself cuts bits off her hem. The liberating soldiers finally come (they ``stare back at us, oh, so strangely, making soft noises in their throats. They seem afraid to touch us--''), and, in the rejoicing that follows, the toys are shared. A heartbreakingly spare account, perfectly matched in gentle illustrations where ragged, emaciated figures shine with intelligence and, yes, a kind of subdued joy. An outstanding book, filled with reverent awe at the nobility of the human spirit. (Picture book. 5+)
