Today: Middle Collegiate Church hosts their 3rd annual Children's Multicultural Book Fair

Via the EVG inbox...

Today (Nov. 17), Middle Collegiate Church hosts their third annual Children's Multicultural Book Fair from 1 - 3:30 p.m. More than 70 titles of books for children and youth (grades 0 - 8) that engage the diverse cultures of our city across faith, ethnicity, race, gender, and identity will be available for purchase.

Authors Isreba Wheeler ("I Love My Hoodie") and Chana Ginelle Ewing ("An ABC of Equality") will be reading and signing their books and a reader from the Islamic Center at NYU, Arif Choudhury, will read "The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family".

There will be stations for children and youth to engage in art, movement, card making, and raffle prizes. Titles will also be available from Archie Bongiovanni, Hena Khan, bell hooks, Jamia Wilson, Jacqueline Woodson and numerous others. This is a free event.

Middle Collegiate Church is on Second Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. Entrance to the event is at 50 E. Seventh St.

What's going on at the Middle Collegiate Church building on East Seventh Street?

[Late December]

Late last year (Dec. 19 to be exact!), you may have noticed the plywood arrive outside the Middle Collegiate Church building on East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... Since then, workers have been busy gutting the space — a sign that always makes a few people nervous. Like, hey — it's becoming a condo or a hotel or an artisanal condiment shop.

Turns out it's nothing so sinister, in case you haven't heard.

"Our office space is being renovated, so that the building will be fully accessible to the people of the East Village and allowing us to better fulfill our goal of being a place that welcomes everyone," Kate Tull, a technical administrator with Middle Collegiate, told us via email.

The Church website has some construction FAQs here.