"Half Full: What It Takes to Mentor—and Learn From—Gen Z"

Available now where books are sold.  

A new perspective on the new generation starts with seeing what’s possible.

What if we’ve been getting Gen Z all wrong? Dr. Stephanie J. Hull invites us to rethink what it means to mentor, lead, and learn from the new generation.

In Half Full: What It Takes to Mentor—and Learn From—Gen Z, Dr. Hull, longtime educator and President and CEO of Girls Inc., challenges the notion that Gen Z is a lost generation. 

Through vivid storytelling, cultural touchstones, and interviews with artists, educators, and leaders, Half Full reframes mentoring as a reciprocal relationship. Gen Z brings unique superpowers (adaptability, coalition-building, digital fluency, and moral clarity) but those strengths don’t develop in isolation. They emerge through relationships with adults who are willing to question their own assumptions, move beyond zero-sum thinking, and make real space for young people’s voices. This is not a book about “saving” the next generation. It’s about learning to work with them. 

What you will discover:

  • A strengths-based mentoring framework that celebrates difference and builds intergenerational collaboration 
  • Practical tools for engaging Gen Z and younger generations without imposing outdated expectations or dismissive narratives 
  • Strategies for fostering inclusion that resonate with educators, youth development advocates, and corporate youth program leaders alike 
  • How to replace deficit-based thinking with possibility 
  • How to mentor in ways that allow both young people and adults to grow 

Who should read it?

  • Whether you’re leading a school, building a workplace, guiding a community, or creating opportunities for young people, Half Full offers a timely perspective on how we connect, collaborate, and lead.
  • An essential read for: 
    • Educators, principals, and school leaders 
    • Youth development professionals and community leaders 
    • Corporate executives and emerging talent leaders 
    • Mentors, parents, and anyone invested in intergenerational relationship 

Pre-order today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million or wherever books are sold.  

For Bulk orders email: vfinley@wiley.com.