Cornelia Meigs

Born in 1884, Cornelia Meigs was an American author, teacher, and critic whose work ranged from novels to biographies and literary history for young readers. She taught English and writing, and her books were known for being thoughtful, readable, and deeply interested in the lives of children and the past.

She is especially remembered for Invincible Louisa, her biography of Louisa May Alcott, which won the Newbery Medal. Meigs also wrote three Newbery Honor Books, a sign of how consistently admired her work was in children's literature.

Beyond her own stories, she helped shape the field as a historian and critic of children's books. Her career shows a rare mix of imagination, scholarship, and respect for young readers, and her writing continued to be valued long after her death in 1973.