About Claudine C. Wargel

Claudine C. Wargel cherishes the childhood she spent among the vegetable gardens, cropland and animals on her family's  Midwestern farm. She came to love reading and writing as a young  girl, often penning simple poems and sharing them with friends. From that young age, she dreamed of becoming an author -- of crafting stories that would inspire and immerse readers in new and exciting worlds through imagination.

 After high school, Mrs. Wargel  earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural journalism and a masters degree in communication with an emphasis on market research and interpersonal  communication. She has managed communications programs for agricultural organizations and public agencies, and her articles have appeared in magazines, newspapers and online. Her career includes having worked as an adjunct writing instructor at the University of Illinois College of Media.  

As a volunteer, Mrs. Wargel led fundraising efforts to build a new local playground in 2003, served for a decade on her local school district's educational foundation, and occasionally relishes time spent helping in her church's nursery.

Wargel's childhood dream of publishing fiction has never faded, and becoming a mother of two boys strengthened her desire to write for children. 

Today, Mrs. Wargel's Midwestern ethic and love of farming and nature feature prominently in her series for children -- The Adventures of Hattie Mae Bramble. The first book, Hattie Mae's Halloween, was published in 2015.

You may spot a few similarities between Hattie and Mrs. Wargel -- as the series is based largely on Wargel's own idyllic upbringing on an Illinois farm. 

She still lives near that original farm, and visits often for inspiration. 

Mrs. Wargel is a member of Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, has been featured at The Book Expo, and loves to  share Hattie Mae with children at schools and bookstores! 

Her mission: to teach children to love reading. But also to help young minds escape to a countryside filled with gardens, animals and surprising  adventures. There, on the farm, they can learn to persevere and forge their own path - just like Hattie and her little brother, Dirk.

"Not many children  today experience the joys of growing up on, or even visiting, a farm," notes Mrs. Wargel. "Through the Hattie Mae series, I want to share some of the magic found there -- dusty haylofts, new life, things growing. More importantly, I hope children take away lessons of self-assuredness, and learn to believe in and live out their own values and convictions."