LET THE CELEBRATIONS BEGIN!

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+)