Craig Johnson celebrated the end of a 30-year career at Southwestern Bell by exchanging books and stuffed animals for dozens of hugs from Lawrence kindergartners.

His retirement Wednesday coincided with a final trip to Woodlawn School teacher Terry Tuckwin’s classes. Johnson’s mission, as it has been for years, was to deliver to students personalized books from Telephone Pioneers of America, a telecommunications service organization.

Avery Hughes, 5, left, a kindergarten student at Woodlawn School, receives a book from Southwestern Bell employee Craig Johnson. For the past six years, Johnson has delivered for Southwestern Bell donated books with personalized information in them to students in teacher Terry Tuckwin's class. Wednesday marked Johnson's retirement from Southwestern Bell and the annual book deliveries.

“We’re going to have fun, aren’t we?” Johnson asked kindergartners huddled around him.

“Yeah,” they shouted.

“I love it,” Johnson said. I love it.”

And who wouldn’t enjoy the opportunity to deliver books and a stuffed bear to eager-to-learn kids?

All of Tuckwin’s students responded by giving Johnson a hug. Kindergartner Hannah Garcia went further, adding a handful of small hearts cut from red paper. She also decided to give a special name to her toy animal.

“I’m going to name this ‘Mr. Johnson,'” Garcia proclaimed.

“Isn’t that sweet?” he said. “I could do this every day.”

Each 30-page tome, “A Book About Me: A Fun Way to Learn,” is printed with each child’s first name 10 times. The text also contains the names of a couple of the student’s friends as well as his or her teacher, school and community name.

Johnson, a customer service technician with Southwestern Bell based in Topeka, has delivered these one-of-a-kind books annually for about six years at Woodlawn and at numerous elementary schools in Topeka.

“I look forward to this every year,” he said. “The experience is just overwhelming.”

The book explores topics important to children, including the value of exercise, healthy food, sharing with others, common courtesy as well as numbers and letters.

“Most students are not going to have a book with their name with it,” Tuckwin said. “It’s such a positive, positive book.”

It’s written and illustrated in a way that students will read the book repeatedly, she said. That means they will get tremendous exposure to lessons contained in the book.

Tuckwin said the book-presentation experience wouldn’t be the same without Johnson sitting on the floor, calling each child to his side and reading bits of each book to the boy or girl.

Johnson said he would miss the chance to interact with young children in elementary schools. Giving is as good as the receiving, he said.

“Just look at their faces!” Johnson said.