The first book that Cornelia wrote was called "The Kingdom of the Winding Road". It was first printed in 1915. Macmillan US was the publisher. In 1921 she wrote "The Windy Hill", and in 1922 that book was made a Newbery Medal Honor Book. In 1929 her fiction book "Clearing Weather" was made a Newbery Honor Book, and in 1933 her fiction book "Swift Rivers" was made a Newbery Honor Book. She also wrote other books for children during this time. Some of these books said that they were written by Adair Aldon. Adair Aldon was a pretend name or pseudonym that Cornelia Meigs used sometimes. "The Trade Wind", which was first printed in 1927, won a prize from Little, Brown, and Co., a book publishing company.