‘Where Did All the Grandmas Go?’ is the fourth children’s book for southern Alberta author Jean McCarthy.
Children at Castle Mountain can’t find their grandmas anywhere. Where did they all go?
Award-winning author and mental health advocate Jean McCarthy is shining a spotlight on the fun-loving matriarchs of Castle Mountain with her latest children’s picture book, Where Did All the Grandmas Go?
“Southern Alberta has a rich tradition of outdoor adventure and strong, active women,” McCarthy said. “I wanted to capture that spirit and show that grandmothers aren’t always sitting by the fire knitting. Sometimes they’re leading the charge down the slopes.”
McCarthy is an author, artist, and podcaster based in southern Alberta.
Known for her award-winning advocacy of mental health and recovery, McCarthy has become a beloved voice for personal growth and authentic storytelling.
Inspired by her own active lifestyle and the spirited women who lead their families into the great outdoors, McCarthy’s newest book follows a group of little ones at Castle Mountain ski hill who can’t find their grandmothers.
After a lighthearted search, they discover that all the grans are having the time of their lives skiing down from the top of the mountain.
A true family collaboration, Where Did All the Grandmas Go? was created with the help of McCarthy’s three grandchildren, who joined her in photographing scenery at Castle Mountain during the ski season.
McCarthy transformed the images into vibrant digital collages resembling watercolour paintings, filled with colourful creatures and familiar mountain landmarks.
The result is a visual celebration of Alberta’s natural beauty and playful spirit.
This is McCarthy’s fourth children’s book, adding to her growing body of work that also includes self-help and poetry.
Where Did All the Grandmas Go? is available now at Analog Books in Lethbridge and Macleod Living in Fort Macleod.
McCarthy is also attending Lethbridge’s Word on the Street Festival as a speaker and market vendor on Saturday, Sept. 20.
