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After three months of planning and drawing, Washington Grove artist Joseph Craig English welcomed young readers to view his under-the-bay mural in the story time room at the Germantown Library.

"I wanted something enchanting and I got it," said library manager Nancy Savas. "The room is finally going to be attractive to the public."

When she arrived two years ago, Savas said she questioned: "How can we have this beautiful library and a story time room for the little ones that said nothing?" In early May, the Friends of the Library Germantown Chapter decided to look for someone to create a warm atmosphere in the room, said Bonnie Ayers, a county spokeswoman who is also corresponding secretary of the chapter. English was the only person who responded and the chapter gave him $10,000 for supplies, labor and design of the mural.

"The purpose of the friends is to support programs that will enhance the library," said Ayers, who said the chapter raises money from monthly book sales. "We used the community's money to make the library better."

The walls take readers on an underwater tour of the Chesapeake Bay. Schools of vibrant, multicolored fish appear to swim around the room. English drew each fish on a piece of plastic, cut them out and painted them. English placed each fish on a piece of black matting screwed into the wall, creating the underwater odyssey.

"Every time a child comes in here, they'll see something different," English said.

English always admired the Chesapeake Bay. As a child, family trips to the bay made English's interest in what life forms lurked beneath the water's surface grow.

"The thing about the bay is it is Maryland's greatest resource," said English, who also did a mural depicting the creatures from the Chesapeake Bay at Sherwood Elementary School in Sandy Spring. "This mural lets the children appreciate what we have in the bay."

The eye-catching colorful sharks, crabs and fish allows parents to teach their children color and shape recognition, Savas said.

"This room is timeless," Savas said. "It teaches us so much. The value of this room is endless."

"I think the kids are going to love this room," said Peggy Hansen, head of children's services at the library and reader during story time. For the Saturday opening of the room, Hansen read "Beside the Bay."