• Age: 6 to 13
• Grade: 2 to 6
• Reading age: 6 to 13

If Josie Moon could have a horse, it would be a shiny black stallion. They would go galloping through fields of tall grass together.
But there is no place for a horse on Little Pickle Island where Josie lives. There is barely enough room for her family's house, the boathouse and a few blueberry bushes. Josie knows her dream of having a horse may never come true. That's why she can hardly believe her eyes when she spots some horses in the bush near town. She doesn't tell Kiff and Odie, who would only tease her. But when a huge forest fire threatens the town and the horses, Josie has to trust Kiff with her secret. They must do something.

As a child Sharon Siamon had a passion for three things: horses, mountains, and books. Growing up in Southern Ontario with a family too busy for horses, Siamon pursued her dreams through books and make-believe. She says: “I never ran as a kid, I galloped, trotted, or cantered everywhere.” As an adult, she has spent her time pursuing an adventurous lifestyle, and sharing it in her writing.

The inspiration for her trilogy, Mustang Mountain came while participating in a five-day trail ride near Red Deer, Alberta. There she sat around an open fire at night listening to the wranglers talk. She was also inspired by conversations with young women who grew up on ranches.

Sharon Siamon’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Education from Nipissing University. Siamon is now one of Canada’s most prolific writers of fiction for young readers. She has published eleven novels in Canada, two series in England, and a series in Norway. Her Sleepover Series and five books she wrote in the Stage School series under the pseudonym Geena Dare are popular across Canada and Northern Europe.

A mother of three grown up daughters, Siamon now enjoys writing in the early morning hours and then spending the rest of the day outdoors. She and her husband Jeff currently reside in Toronto with their dog, Brio.

Sharon Siamon's profile page

"Josie is a strong, likable character."

Canadian Materials