Earmuffs for Everyone!

Starred review from November 3, 2014
From Benjamin Franklin to Steve Jobs, inventors have long had a hold on the American imagination. But exactly what makes something an invention? McCarthy (Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton) again proves her nonfiction storytelling chops by using the humble earmuff and the man associated with it as a way to delve into some deliciously big ideas: what constitutes originality, the slipperiness of origin stories (note the careful wording of the subtitle), and the philosophy of patent law. Like any meaty topic, this one leads readers into side stories and digressions (Greenwood married a suffragette; the early promoters of Chester Greenwood Day mostly made stuff up about its namesake), all captured with crisp, slyly funny acrylics and populated with McCarthy’s customary goggle-eyed characters. McCarthy is the ideal raconteur: funny, curious, and eager to involve her audience in her pursuit of the truth (“What do you think really happened?” she asks at one point). Readers will come away knowing a lot more about earmuffs, and feeling like they’ve spent time with a very smart, very cool friend. Ages 4–8. Agent: Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary.

Starred review from October 15, 2014
A look not just at the invention (or not) of earmuffs, but at the process of inventing and the way that history can rewrite itself. Every year in the beginning of December, the town of Farmington, Maine, has a parade in which all the participants (cars, buses, trucks, included) wear earmuffs. This parade celebrates Chester Greenwood, who was not the inventor of earmuffs. Wait. What? That's right. Chester Greenwood did not invent earmuffs; he improved the designs of other inventors, applied for a patent and is misremembered today as the inventor of the ubiquitous ear coverings so popular in cold climates. In her latest nonfiction title, McCarthy looks at how this happened, along the way delivering tidbits about patents; the lives of Greenwood and his wife, Isabel, who was active in the suffrage movement; other inventors who were really improvers (Edison and his light bulb); and the movement to dedicate a day to Greenwood. McCarthy's acrylic illustrations nicely bring history to kids, mixing the familiar and the new. They realistically portray history (and Farmington!) and feature her characteristic big-eyed, round-faced people. Two photographs show Greenwood, sporting earmuffs of course, and a portion of the Chester Greenwood Day parade in downtown Farmington. Backmatter includes a fascinating note about the research for the book, more about patents and a bibliography. While Greenwood was indeed an interesting character, the more valuable-even revolutionary-takeaway is that history isn't necessarily reliable; it can change, and McCarthy's genius is that she communicates this so easily to her audience. (Informational picture book. 4-10)

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Starred review from October 1, 2014

K-Gr 3-This picture book charts the evolution of the earmuff. McCarthy starts in the 18th century, discussing the ways that various inventors improved on one another's designs, until Chester Greenwood made one last tweak to the wire headband and applied for a patent. Woven into the narrative is a description of patents. Children will also come away with a greater understanding of the nature of inventions. The book ends with a brief biography of Chester Greenwood and a section about the dedicated citizens in the state of Maine who lobbied for a Chester Greenwood Day (made official in 1977). Back matter includes an author's note, a note about patents, and a photo of the annual Chester Greenwood Day parade in Farmington, Maine. Rendered in acrylic paint, the illustrations are appealingly cartoonlike, portraying people with exaggerated round eyes and faces, and complement the concise but upbeat text ("[Isaac Kleinert] also made dress guards, which protected ladies' clothing from sweat. Ew!"). A solid addition for those seeking titles about inventors and inventions.-Samantha Lumetta, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2015
Grades K-3 *Starred Review* Chester Greenwood Day is celebrated annually in Maine to honor a man credited with inventing earmuffs. But did he? The creator of books such as Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum (2010) and Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse (2008), McCarthy leads off this picture-book biography with an illustrated discussion of earmuffs developed before or soon after Greenwood's birth. Still, the man's accomplishments were many: improving on earmuff design by adding a steel band, receiving a patent at age 19, and running a successful earmuff manufacturing business. After tracing how Greenwood became known as the inventor of earmuffs, McCarthy describes how his annual day became official. In an appended note on research, she mentions that although several sources (Wikipedia, NPR, Washington Post) incorrectly credited Greenwood with inventing earmuffs, her historical research showed that the facts got muddled through the years. Always entertaining, this picture book features a clearly written text and appealing acrylic paintings that vary from spot illustrations of familiar patented inventions (Coke bottles, LEGO blocks, a space capsule) to double-page scenes representing the inventor's life. This unusual book also offers insight into the process of invention and how the muddling of fact, memory, and legend can result in popular history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)