SWANSEA — A chubby blush-colored puffer fish rested on the warm sand while a big pink octopus in a pearl necklace stood guard over a found treasure chest.

The whimsical sea scenes are making a splash in the Swansea Free Public Library’s children’s room, as are the forest paintings and the hidden cave.

Located in the basement of the quaint brick Main Street building, the kid’s section — previously in painted primary colors — had gotten a bit dull over the past few years.

“Our new director (Eileen Dyer) wanted to spruce things up a bit,” said library assistant Kaija Gallucci, who expertly painted animal faces on the restroom door.

The wild scenes stretched through the space.

In the jungle, a giraffe stretched his neck to munch on hanging leaves over the early learning children’s books while monkeys frolicked in the windows over titles like “Little Porcupine’s Christmas” and “It’s Your First Day of School.” In the “cave,” hidden under the staircase, some bats and spiders peeped out from their nook above a kid-sized plastic kitchenette.

Gallucci said the kdis are “so excited, especially if they have a favorite animal and it’s depicted.”

She was right about that.

“I like the octopus,” said Zachary Grant, age 6½. “I like the monkeys.”

Grant’s friend Brady Medeiros, also 6½ he was sure to mention, had some favorites, too.

“I like the fishies,” Medeiros said. “I have one at home. I like the raccoon in the tree.”

Even the teens enjoyed the art work.

“It’s really pretty,” said Katherine Frederick, who will be 14 on July 20. “It’s really cool. I like that zebra.”

Gallucci and other workers, plus a few teens, all volunteered their time and talents to redecorate.

“We’ve got to work with what we’ve got,” Gallucci said.

The Library Building Committee is hoping to fund an expanded library in the future with more space for the kids, and adults. But that dream won’t be realized for some time.

A grant of $6.9 million was awarded by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners in 2017, but funding is on hold. Once the grant is received, the committee will seek voter approval to fund the rest of the project.

The library, built in 1900, has become too cramped for the types of programs and technologies generally found in today’s libraries.

For now, the updated artsy children’s room will have to suffice, and it seemed to be doing just fine.

“It’s amazing,” said Skylar DeMoranville, 12.” The blow fish is my favorite.”

Circulation librarian Marybeth Rodriguez said the library didn’t have to spend a penny to redecorate the space.

Project benefactors included Higgs Painting, Somerset Paint, and the Ryan Kelly Memorial Fund.

Those who participated in the project included staffers and volunteers: Amy Ferreira, Kaija Gallucci, Sophia Miranda, Melissa Rea Zambrana, Andrea Rodriguez, Lillian Rodriguez, Marybeth Rodriguez and Marie Shea.

“It looks warm and welcoming,” Rodriguez said.

To learn more about the Swansea Free Public Library, visit in person at 69 Main St. or online at swansealibrary.org.

Email Deborah Allard at dallard@heraldnews.com.