About the Author

Susan Lupone Stonis and Jacqueline Boyle are best friends since middle school, and the authors of The Reading Womb, the blog that gathers all the latest research, news, and parent-friendly tips about reading to babies in utero. Susan has shared her love of reading and books with others in each of the roles she has played so far in her lifetime, as a mother, elementary teacher, literacy coach, staff developer, blogger, and now an author. She taught elementary school for 18 years and, following extensive postgraduate work through Lesley University's Literacy Collaborative, she became a literacy specialist, teaching reading and writing workshops to children and providing professional development to teachers in literacy instruction. She has now become a literacy consultant, coaching teachers in best practices in reading and writing instruction. Jacqueline is a writer, illustrator, book editor, and copyeditor. Reading has always been one of her greatest joys, especially the English and Russian classics. It's no wonder she wants to pass this love along to coming generations through the magic of in utero reading! Jacqueline is a lifelong writer of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She has a bachelors in English from Boston College and has participated in writing workshops at Grub Street Writers, Inc. in Boston, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Mass., and the Chatham (Mass.) Writers Workshops.

Susan Lupone Stonis and Jacqueline Boyle are best friends since middle school, and the authors of The Reading Womb, the blog that gathers all the latest research, news, and parent-friendly tips about reading to babies in utero. Susan has shared her love of reading and books with others in each of the roles she has played so far in her lifetime, as a mother, elementary teacher, literacy coach, staff developer, blogger, and now an author. She taught elementary school for 18 years and, following extensive postgraduate work through Lesley University's Literacy Collaborative, she became a literacy specialist, teaching reading and writing workshops to children and providing professional development to teachers in literacy instruction. She has now become a literacy consultant, coaching teachers in best practices in reading and writing instruction. Jacqueline is a writer, illustrator, book editor, and copyeditor. Reading has always been one of her greatest joys, especially the English and Russian classics. It's no wonder she wants to pass this love along to coming generations through the magic of in utero reading! Jacqueline is a lifelong writer of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She has a bachelors in English from Boston College and has participated in writing workshops at Grub Street Writers, Inc. in Boston, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Mass., and the Chatham (Mass.) Writers Workshops.

Reviews

We give Belly Books as a prize for our Stork Storytime Reads program. The books are sturdy, have a wonderful message and families are excited to receive them. Belly Books are a unique and simple way to encourage expecting families to develop a reading routine before baby arrives, create a bonding experience, and set the tone and expectation that reading is important and valued at home.--Jennifer Jordebrek, creator of the Stork Storytime initiative, is a former children's librarian and current assistant director at the North Liberty Community Library (Iowa)