Author hopes book will help bridge gap

LOWER MERION » At a time when police and community relations seem to be at an all-time low, a local resident, author and civic leader is hoping his latest project can help bridge the gap.

Nahjee Grant, author of 12 educational children’s books over the last several years, is reviving a book project he first contemplated a few years ago.

Based on his character named Aron, from a series of books called Aron’s Adventures, the story involves the protagonist searching for a way to improve police and community relations.

“He embodies innovation and imagination, he’s a young inventor, and he has a broad imagination,” Grant said of the character. “In the story, he sees what is go

ing on in the news, and he just wants to help and get involved.”

In the book, Aron tries to figure out if there is an invention he could build to better improve police-community relations. But in the end, he realizes that the improvement must come within everyone.

“[The book] springs from some of my real-life work of bringing people together, bringing communities together,” Grant said.

According to Grant, the project is about changing the current narrative from kids not seeing the police as bad. And for the police officers to see the kids in the community and know they are just regular kids.

Currently, he is working on the book but is trying to raise money for the illustrator and for other aspects of publishing it. Like in his previous educational books, “Aron Goes to the Police Academy,” will also have curriculum materials that will be sent to police departments, schools and other places throughout the Philadelphia area.

“Our hope is to also print a pilot run of 1,000 books to be distributed to police departments associated with the Race for Peace Organization, a committee that comprises members of law enforcement, clergy, government and citizens from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties who are actively working together to strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and the communities they serve,” according to an online post promoting the book.

Over the past several years, Grant has written 12 educational books. They include two books featuring Aron: “Aron Runs for Class President” and “Aron Goes to the White House Science Fair.”

For more information on the book, go to www. indiegogo.com/projects/ aron-goes-to-the-policeacademy-children-s-book#/.