DANCING ON THE TABLE

In a book for readers younger than those of her previous novels, Murrow presents a loving portrait of an extended family, especially of a feisty grandmother and her granddaughter. Jenny, eight, and Nana live on a Maine island, where they specialize in ""mischief days"" when they escape together to do anything they want. Then, to Jenny's horror, Nana decides to get married and move to New York. During her reluctant stint as flower girl at the wedding, Jenny decides to use a recently found rabbit's foot to make three wishes. Two involve using Hurricane Wanda to prevent Nana's departure; when the hurricane actually does hit, the honeymoon car--in which Jenny has stowed away--is trapped in rocks as the tide rises. Jenny's pluck makes the third wish--to save Nana and her new husband come true. Jenny and her family are depicted warmly as interacting individuals; the result is a celebration of the growth of one family and its members. Sympathetic, full-page pencil drawings contribute to the approachable format.