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Christina Perrone
Hometown Weekly Intern
Thursday, August 8 was a bright, sunny day at the Westwood Library — perfect conditions for a car wash, or even a toy car wash. Librarians invited young motorists to come wash, wax, shine and detail their favorite toy vehicles on the afternoon.
The car wash took place out in the children’s garden, a fenced in area at the back of the library. For ambience, there was a bubble machine and an eclectic mix of music playing on the radio. Pictures by Christina Perrone
The car wash took place out in the children’s garden, a fenced-in area at the back of the library. On the premises, there were three soapy tubs, a bunch of spray bottles, and some other water toys supplied to the youngsters. For ambience, there was a bubble machine that could also count as a toy to some avid bubble-poppers. “Gallan Goodiyan,” an upbeat Bollywood tune, played in the background as kids cleaned their favorite whips.
One of the young motorists was a 3 ½ year-old named Takin. “This is a fire truck, and it needs help,” he said, using the spray bottles diligently to simonize every corner of the shiny red engine. “More foam please. All done!” he asked Children’s Librarian Hannah Gavalis.
‘More foam please… All done!’ 3 ½ year-old Takin asks Children’s Librarian Hannah Gavalis. Pictures by Christina Perrone
“I saw another library do it and so I was like ‘that seems really fun,’” said Gavalis, who has been working at the Westwood Library for four years.
“Kids’ activities [like this] are always great because, motor skills, building fine motor skills, working with little things, figuring out that you can refill the water container, things like that,” she paused. “It’s skill building … but fun skill building!”
“I think my favorite part so far was when a plane flew over, and everybody was like,” she tilted her head at the sky, her eyes following the invisible airplane’s jet stream. “‘That is something we must watch,” she imitated in a voice of a toddler hypnotized by a plane.
“I love watching the little guys play with each other and,” Gavalis stopped in her tracks as Takin asked for her assistance in refilling the spray bottle. She bent down, unscrewed the lid of the spray bottle, and filled it with the foamy water in the tub, guiding Takin through the steps.
“It was pretty dirty. It has spent many a year at the sand table without being washed,” Gavalis gave the little fire engine a good spray before returning the bottle back to Takin.
Surrounding the toy car wash were sprawling plants and flowers. “We grow veggies and stuff every summer for the kids to watch grow. We’ve got tomatoes, birdhouse gourds, we have beans in the front, and then squash over there,” Gavalis gestured towards the perimeter of the garden.
Jacob cleans his Tonka truck at the Westwood Library. Librarians invited young motorists, like Jacob, to come wash, wax, shine and detail their favorite toy vehicle. Pictures by Christina Perrone
At the mention of a ‘reader’s salad,’ Gavalis replied, “I think the health department would be on us in a second.”
Lizzy McGovern, the head of the Children’s Department at the Westwood Library came over to observe the toy car wash. “I tell you,” she said, “I should have pulled my car around. I’d be like, ‘You guys! Want a real treat?’” She later added, “When I was a kid, I thought that was so fun.”
To Gavalis, her favorite part of being a children’s librarian is “Watching the little guys learn something new. Like this guy here.” She pointed to Takin spritzing the fire truck. “[He] learned that he could dump it, and fill it up, and it’s like those little things.”
“Same thing in story time,” Gavalis continued. “When we do rhymes with hand movements … The little guys don’t know them and then will come to story time over and over and will learn them — it’s just really cute to see.”
Suddenly, everyone heard a splash and Alexander, the youngest motorist, was sitting in the car wash station.
‘Suddenly, everyone heard a splash and Alexander, the youngest motorist, was sitting in the car wash station.’ Pictures by Christina Perrone
“I think he thinks he’s in the tub,” said his older brother, Nathaniel. His other brother, Jacob laughed, “Alexander! You’re going to get your butt all wet!”
“I’m going to get the library’s camera for this,” said Hannah, darting into the library.
“It’s a kid wash!” exclaimed another onlooker.
After she took some pictures, Gavalis remarked, “And that would be why it’s just dish soap.”
