only did he make no attempt to conceal it, but he was also happy to share the details with his wife.

The new Mrs. Cooke had "discovered'' Bermuda in College and had no hesitation recommending it to her husband for their honeymoon.

Not only did the young American begin the first idyllic weeks of married life here, but he grew to love the Island so much that the couple now call it home from November to March each year while they escape the rigours of a North American winter.

"We have been coming here for all but two years of our marriage,'' Mrs. Cooke said proudly.

But, like the Queen, there is one thing Mr. Cooke never escapes, and that is work. As a top illustrator of Sesame Street and Muppet books, he is constantly kept busy creating images that will tickle young readers' imaginations.

In Bermuda, his studio is a spare bedroom, where bay grape leaves dance beyond the windows and the sound of the surf is at hand.

Totally self-disciplined, Tom Cooke works steadily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. six days a week, taking only an occasional mini-break at the piano, where he relaxes by playing ragtime -- particularly Scott Joplin -- as well as jazz, pop and classical music.

Stimulus for his artistic output comes from many sources, among them the professional writers associated with Sesame Street books.

Based on the popular TV programme, the books use the same characters. As one of six illustrators, Mr. Cooke works independently on the texts he is given.

"That's why I can be here, in Europe, or anywhere,'' he explained. Any thoughts that working in isolation from the writers is a difficult arrangement are quickly dispelled.

"The writing in the books is so well done that they really stimulate the imagination. And I never tire of doing them because the characters are always having exciting adventures!'' he said.

The artistic freedom to cut up the text and position the snippets onto preliminary sketches of each page wherever he sees fit also helps.

"If there is a particular educational point to be made the publishers will give the artist some direction; otherwise, I can do what I like,'' he noted.

Once his preliminary sketches are approved by the publishers and Children's TV Workshop, the illustrator sets to work producing the superbly detailed, final drawings beloved by children around the world.

Indeed, the Sesame Street characters are as international as the young readers themselves, and Mr. Cooke has had the pleasure of seeing his books translated into host of foreign languages.

Except for a brief period at the beginning of his career in 1956, the gifted illustrator has always worked independently from home, and his association with Sesame Street is a long one.

"I have been working with the Children's TV Workshop, producers of Sesame Street, since 1973,'' he explained. "So that is almost for the whole of its existence. I started with them the first year they did projects like games and books. They liked what I did on the games and then invited me to start working on their book programme.'' His work is largely concentrated on the Muppet Babies, although he has also worked with the central characters.

"The characters have become friends, and I think of them not as humans necessarily, but as friends,'' he said.

In fact Mr. Cooke knows them so well that he can draw them from memory.

"One nice thing about working with Sesame Street is that I can interpret the characters in my own technique so long as they are like (the puppets),'' he explained.

And because the puppets are just hand and rod bodies, the illustrator must also use his fertile imagination to create the missing bits, such as legs and feet.

One of the Cooke-illustrated books, "Big Bird's Colour Game,'' has enjoyed outstanding success.

"It is one of the best sellers in western publishing history,'' he allowed.

"It has sold about two million copies.'' In honour of Sesame Street's silver anniversary, Mr. Cooke is currently working flat out illustrating a book about a whole new area of the show entitled "Around the Corner.'' "It introduces a new environment and new characters,'' he explained. "(There will be) some more family Muppets, and comedienne Ruth Buzzy is one of the main human characters. She runs a shop called Finders Keepers, and there is also a hotel called the Furry Arms, a dance studio and a day care centre to put the show into the '90s. (In fact, the producers) like to say it will carry us through to the 21st century, so the book I am now doing introduces the new area. It is a big book.'' Although the basis of this book is pen and ink drawings, pencil drawings are the norm for his regular Sesame Street illustrations. In both cases, colour washes are used to bring them to vivid life.

"Because `Around the Corner' is a new part of Sesame Street, I have used a slightly different technique to make it seem different,'' he explained.

As with all highly successful children's TV shows, the realm of the Sesame Street characters has spread well beyond the perimeters of the little glass screen. In addition to books, Mr. Cooke's creative skills have been used to produce such items as bed linen.

As might be expected of a "travellin' man,'' some of his illustrations reflect the Cooke's long association with Bermuda and its people.

"Bermuda was the inspiration for `Grover's Adventures under the Sea' because my son was a scuba diver, and we used to scuba dive at Grape Bay,'' Mr. Cooke related. "Grover's companion was Cow Polly.'' Another book about a pet store drew inspiration from his friend Mr. Ronnie Lopes' business, Pet Care, which he visited.

"Ronnie has always been a family friend, and he gave me advice on the book.

His birds are in the book.'' Even The Royal Gazette 's Bermuda Calendar is now part of publishing history, having been used as the covering for Grover's kite in illustrations for "Grover, Grover, Come on Over.'' In keeping with Sesame Street's original premise as a teaching aid for minority children, Mr. Cooke's specialist illustrations have involved working with a deaf actress on two books highlighting sign language, and inventing ethnic characters for "Rosita's Block Party,'' a book set in a Latin-American neighbourhood.

While Sesame Street may be his bread and butter, it is not the sum total of Tom Cooke's artistic career. His graphic illustrations for such Parker Brothers' games as Peanut Butter and Jelly, Pay Day and Trust Me have won him design awards.

Yet, for all the international success he enjoys, adulation still takes this modest gentleman by surprise. Recalling public recognition at book fairs and on big city streets, he said: "Working alone in my studio at home, I never realised how many fans I had. To discover that people actually stand in line for my autograph or recognise me in the street is really gratifying. I didn't know so many people knew my work.'' Among his greatest fans these days are his young grandchildren. But of course, the greatest fan of all is Onalee, his wife and help mate, who, with skillful charm, not only protects him from interruption during the working day but also, like Inspector 12 of Hanes fame, gives the final seal of approval to whatever he produces.

"He sends nothing out until I inspect it,'' she declared.

A PEEK AROUND THE CORNER . . . Illustrator Mr. Tom Cooke works on drawings for a book based on Around the Corner, a new area of Sesame Street, which is being especially created to mark the 25th anniversary of the popular children's television show.