This site belongs to William "Shorty" Tonsgard, Jr., and his wife, Connie McFadden Tonsgard.
William was born in Juneau, Alaska, and Connie flew in from Portland, Oregon when they were 22 and decided to begin a life and family together. William works in the heavy equipment construction field, scrap metal hauling and logging while William taught Connie to drive the dump trucks, but she was also a screenplay writer, an artist and a poet.
William had told everything that had happened in his life and Connie had finished it for him as well as using her art for the pictures William wanted.
They collaborated on a children's book about William's life growing up in a logging camp, and in July of 1999, they published "Willie & Sam".
The story is a slice of logging life as seen through Willie's eyes, and Sam is the name of the truck Willie longs to be big enough to drive. After an inexperienced driver wrecks the truck, Willie wonders if Sam will be fixed or not. The next season, Willie has grown, and Sam returns. Does he get to drive? You bet!
Each quality page is full of colorful illustrations with sea creatures, wildlife, birds and bugs to give your child plenty to look at. Evaluated by art students at Juneau Christian School, they were complimented repeatedly for the ideas and the pictures.
"Chemicals From Trees" and "Wood Products" are two extensive lists they included as well as a glossary explaining logging terms and Alaskan wildlife.
These art painting were the first ones I've ever done in my life -- and it was so much fun for me. The book, 8.5" x 11", is 50 pages, and was finished in 1999. It can be sold in Amazon.
William Tonsgard is the young boy of "Willie" in the book - !
