Walter Wangerin Jr. (February 13, 1944 – August 5, 2021[1]) was an American author and educator best known for his religious novels and children's books.

The family moved often, so Walter grew up in various locations including Shelton, Washington, Chicago, Illinois, Grand Forks, North Dakota, Edmonton, Alberta, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Wangerin is the author of over thirty novels, numerous children's books, and a handful of plays, and he has received several awards for his short stories and essays.

He has been a college professor, a radio announcer, a book reviewer, and a pastor of a Lutheran church.

Most of his writing is religious, primarily giving theological guidance on subjects such as marriage, meditation, parenting, and grieving.