Earmuffs for Everyone! How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs

Award-winning nonfiction picture book creator Meghan McCarthy tells the story of how Chester Greenwood went from having cold ears to becoming a great inventor in this nonfiction picture book.

Earmuffs keep people warm and cozy on cold days, but who invented the wintertime accessory?

In Meghan McCarthy’s trademark easy-to-follow narrative voice, this fact-filled picture book tells the story of Chester Greenwood, a Maine resident who in 1873, at the age of fifteen, decided he was tired of having cold ears while ice skating. He designed the first pair of ear protectors (a.k.a. earmuffs) out of wire, beaver fur, and cloth. By the time he was nineteen, he patented the design, and within a decade the Chester Greenwood & Company factory was producing and shipping “Champion Ear Protectors” worldwide! This successful businessman and prolific inventor accumulated over 100 patents during his lifetime.

Meghan McCarthy is the award-winning author and illustrator of many books for children, including Earmuffs for Everyone!: How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs; Daredevil: The Daring Life of Betty Skelton; Pop!: The Invention of Bubble Gum; City Hawk: The Story of Pale Male; Seabiscuit the Wonder Horse; All That Trash; and Action! A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, she lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at Meghan-McCarthy.com.