Teaching Forgiveness, Kindness & Responsibility Through Children’s Books: Kerby Hypolite
By Lana Reid | September 28, 2022
As part of the Black Men Matter Series, Lana Reid sits down with Kerby Hypolite, author, youth speaker, and counselor, to discuss teaching forgiveness, kindness, and responsibility through children’s literature. Kerby shares how intentional storytelling and affirmations can support children’s emotional development and help them learn important social values at an early age. He reflects on the role of collaboration between parents and educators in shaping character, empathy, and accountability in young people.
In this episode of The Male Perspective, Kerby Hypolite explores how children’s books can serve as powerful tools for social-emotional learning and character development.
Kerby explains how his children’s book Majest and Royal Present Alphabet Affirmations was created to help children build confidence, practice kindness, and understand responsibility through affirmations and storytelling. He emphasizes that early exposure to positive messaging helps children develop emotional awareness and healthy self-esteem.
Throughout the conversation, Lana Reid and Kerby discuss the importance of teaching forgiveness as a life skill. Kerby shares how children benefit from learning how to process conflict, repair relationships, and extend empathy — skills that are often overlooked but essential for long-term emotional health.
The discussion also highlights collaboration between parents, educators, and caregivers. Kerby stresses that consistent messaging across home and classroom environments strengthens a child’s ability to internalize values such as honesty, respect, and accountability.
This episode offers insight into how children’s literature can be used intentionally to support emotional growth, responsibility, and compassionate behavior in young readers.
About the Guest
Kerby Hypolite is an author, youth speaker, and counselor whose work focuses on social-emotional learning, character development, and children’s education. Through books and community engagement, he supports children in developing confidence, empathy, and responsibility.
For more information on Kerby Hypolite:
https://www.mrkerby.com/
https://www.instagram.com/mr.kerby1/
https://www.facebook.com/MRKERBY1
About the Series
This episode is part of the Black Men Matter Series, highlighting Black men as authors, educators, and mentors who help shape the next generation through purpose-driven work and intentional storytelling.
About the Host & Organization
The Male Perspective is hosted by Lana Reid, founder of Conversations in Color, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) grassroots organization dedicated to providing uplifting and community-building spaces of dialogue for Black voices.
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