MARTIN HANDFORD, the man behind the mind-boggling Waldo books, began his career as a freelance illustrator specializing in drawing crowd scenes. The turning point came when he was asked to create a book showcasing his impressive talent, and the character Waldo was born — originally to provide a link between each scene. "I can’t tell you how pleased I am that Waldo has taken on a life of his own," Martin Handford says. "I’d like to inspire children to open their minds to explore subjects more, to be aware of what’s going on around them. I’d like them to see wonder in places that may not have occurred to them." Martin Handford lives in England.