Speaker
Tony is an inspiring, hilarious speaker who has given over 700 talks
“He was AMAZING!”
Tony Williams told us it didn’t matter where you start in life. It only matters where you end. This is a little speech I won’t forget.
Hounga Fonua
We had a fun assembly with our Duffy Books HERO Tony Williams ON Tuesday. The children and staff all loved his sense of humour.
St Joseph’s School Paeroa
We have just had our Role Model assembly and I have to let you know that our beautiful children and staff thoroughly enjoyed having Tony as our Role model. What a hilarious and entertaining guy with a very interactive routine of jokes woven into his talk of why he reads and how he “travels the world through books”!!!!
Ma’ina Field, Onehunga
Williams’ murder investigations a fascinating read.
HJ Gisborne Herald
Author Tony Williams kept the students fully entertained at Opunake Primary School. Tony had his audience ‘in the palm of his hand’ and mostly laughing as he ran through an extensive repertoire of antics, including singing, costumes, funny voices, walks, humorous asides and mock outrage, as well as using his mobile face to comic effect. He was also effective in getting across the message that reading was valuable and enjoyable.
Jethro Bishop-Gilmour, aged 13, ‘I reckon he was a good influence on us – showing us if we read, we can be the best we can be. He was really nice, kind and funny.’
Opunake & Coastal News
He was crazy but really interesting…
Student
Finlayson Park FPS thoroughly enjoyed listening to Tony speak. We divided our children into juniors and seniors – Tony tailored his talk accordingly. He was absolutely entertaining and he got the message through – reading is very important.
Mabel Stewart.
The Tony Song The Man in the Hat
This man is cool,
He eats all my mum’s brekfuseds.
The man’s name is Tony Blony.
He moves all over the place,
And I mean the world. He is number 1
Elizabeth Perkins
Wow! All our students were fully engaged. Tony treated our students with respect when he answered their questions. He is an excellent role model and I'm sure our students will remember Tony as a motivational speaker who informed, entertained and respected them.
Tony Baloney Williams was an amazing role model for the children. He made them laugh, he made them think and he made them quiet and gave very clear messages of learning, knowledge and independence building up over their lives from books and words. I think he gave the clearest messages in a way that the children responded to and all teachers agreed that they are the messages we try to get through all the time. Many Many thanks,
Gael, Ruapotaka
Dear Tony, Thanks so much for your terrific visit today. It was a great success; the girls and the staff are raving. Me too.
Many thanks Ros
…your wonderful sense of humour and enthusiasm to make people laugh, both with your jokes, wit and wonderful acting ability. The world needs people with your strengths and abilities.
Sandra Romero
St Anthony’s Catholic School in Huntly recently had a whirlwind visit by children and adults author Tony Williams. Mr. Williams was a special guest at the school for a Duffy Books Awards assembly and had students and staff in stitches with his livewire antics, funny voices and jokes.
Ross Parsons, North Waikato News
Today Manaia View School had the most amazingly fun Role Model Assembly. Tony Williams was superb – he captured the children immediately! He was fun, dramatic, and totally engaging. It was so great to have someone who understood his audience so well and pitched his message so precisely! The children so loved the laughter and his fun way of including them. Can you pass on our sincerest thanks and our acknowledgement of his skills to Tony.
Marilyn Small, St Pius X Hamilton
Good humour. As an author the Best role model there could be. He caught the children’s attention and kept it. Brilliant!
Principal Bairds Mainfreight Primary
Tony gave an entertaining and provocative performance to over 300 students at Maclean’s College.
Michael Green, Macleans College
It was lovely to have you as St Pius X last Wednesday. The assembly was good fun and you were highly entertaining. It is great to have literature and energetic fun in one package.
Brenda Mauger, St Pius X
Tony Williams presented the children with a very funny and entertaining show that had all the children in fits of laughter.
Patea
Thank you Tony. Your presentation was very well received by the students and staff. They will remember your visit for a long time. Keep up the great work of not only inspiring students but others as well. You share your ideas with enthusiasm and have extremely positive approach to life.
Regards Andrew, Churton School
I loved his messages - -reading helps you become who you want to be -you must understand the message when you read -a dictionary is a vital tool to help you find out about words you don't know or are not sure of. -aim high to achieve
He stayed behind in my room to hand out the rest of the Duffy books and also sign his name on the books, 3-D glasses and arms.
Elena Leask, Bluff School
As predicted this was a great assembly. Tony Williams turned out to be a real comedian and had our children in fits of laughter. Underneath his presentation he also had a very serious message about the value and beauty of reading.
Porangahau School
Words cannot express enough to thank a great writer/actor as yourself.
Your delivery of knowledge in the literary field is heartwarming, funny and awe inspiring. You are able to captivate your students with the greatest of ease.
Thank you also for your hilarious dinner entertainment.
We wish you well and all the best with your amazing ability.
Rotorua Writers Festival
We appreciate your time and the experiences you shared with our school last Wednesday. I would love to give you feedback-wonderful positive feedback. You have truly been a hit with our students. They went home and shared their time with you, this is such a compliment. They spoke about you after they saw you, on Thursday and on Friday - even after our prince and princess disco on Thursday night - an amazing feat.
Our staff thought that you were entertaining and inspiring. We are going to get a copy of your book Magda, the Mammoth Hunter for our library. We are sure it will be read many times.
Regards Rosalin
The students in our classes particularly enjoyed listening to Tony Williams as our guest author. He spoke with passion, humour and enthusiasm about his writing and his experiences as an author. The students had many questions that they put to him, which he answered in depth and appropriately for their age level. All students were enthusiastic and motivated about writing.
Linda Hart, Hobsonville Primary
Thank you so much for your visit to our school. We loved listening to how you develop your ideas and learning that a writer’s vivid imagination and sense of humour can take a story in any direction.
Book Fair Co-ordinator – Kohia Terrace School
Tony Williams visited Kaikohe West School and put on a spectacular show about ‘Reading for Knowledge and Strength.’ His acting ability caught the children’s attention and they were spellbound.
Judy Orsborn, Kaikohe West
We've just had Tony Williams come to talk to us and it was a wonderful experience for pupils and staff alike.
Tony arrived early so he could talk to us. He showed an interest in our school and asked about our definition of a role model.
We came up with words from our school poster/branding such as:
-make connections with the students
-motivational person
-successful
-show initiative
-life-long learner
-risk taker (not afraid of failure/obstacles)
-goal setter
... and a few more Tony gets a big tick for demonstrating all of the above qualities. He used a variety of tools to get his message across: humour, repetition, song, dance and audience interaction.
The girls are ‘fizzing with enthusiasm’ regarding Tony’s Library Week presentation. THANK YOU for making this happen and continuing to make our library ‘come alive’ Cheers Liz