Rating: 
Summary: Like a LifeTime movie but no Judith Light...
Review: Glen Hirshberg shows great promise with this release of his first novel The Snowman's Children. The story focuses on a suburb of Detroit and three intellectually gifted sixth grade students - Mattie, Spencer and Theresa. Told from Matties perspective, the novel moves between the past winter of 1977 when a serial child killer roamed the streets of his town to 1994 where as an adult Mattie is trying to rid his life of old ghosts. An eerily wonderful coming of age story almost everyone can relate to - your past as you want to remember it and your past as a harsh reality. This book was hard to put down and will not be easily forgotten.
Rating: 
Summary: An Unusual Surprise From a First Time Novelist
Review: Glen Hirshberg shows great promise with this release of his first novel The Snowman's Children. The story focuses on a suburb of Detroit and three intellectually gifted sixth grade students - Mattie, Spencer and Theresa. Told from Matties perspective, the novel moves between the past winter of 1977 when a serial child killer roamed the streets of his town to 1994 where as an adult Mattie is trying to rid his life of old ghosts. An eerily wonderful coming of age story almost everyone can relate to - your past as you want to remember it and your past as a harsh reality. This book was hard to put down and will not be easily forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: A Dark Debut...
Review: Good debut novel by Hirshberg, concerning a murderer named the "Snowman" who preyed on children in suburban Detroit in the 1970's. I believe the novel is based on the Oakland County Child Killer, who was running amok during this time period.The serial murders are not the focus of the book; rather, it is the impact of the murders on the three children in this book that drive the plot. Many years later, one of those children, now grown up, goes back to the area to find one of the other children, and hopefully bring some closure to things. It's a dark and chilling novel--sometimes too dark and chilling for its own good. It's also confusing at times when the plot jumps from the 1970's to the 1990's, and back again. This is not a book to be read lightly--it demands your full attention--but I still recommend it. I'll be interested to see what Hirshberg comes up with next.
Rating:
Summary: A Promising Debut
Review: Here is a haunting tale masterfully woven together through the alternate use of flashback and present time. Stark imagery pervades this novel, creating a surreal atmosphere, serving to enhance the novel's eerie plot. The main focus here is not on The Snowman, a mysterious serial killer of children. Although The Snowman lurks insidiously in the background and the reader is introduced to several of his victims, the story revolves mainly around three childhood friends (Mattie, Spencer, and Theresa). It is Theresa's decline into ever worsening mental illness that frames the premise of the story. The boys' disastrous attempt to save their friend has horrible consequences for the people around them. Mattie's despair and frustration over his failure seventeen years in the past leads him back to Detroit to reconcile himself. The story is told from his perspective. I believe this is a novel you will not soon forget.
Rating:
Summary: A Promising Debut
Review: Here is a haunting tale masterfully woven together through the alternate use of flashback and present time. Stark imagery pervades this novel, creating a surreal atmosphere, serving to enhance the novel's eerie plot. The main focus here is not on The Snowman, a mysterious serial killer of children. Although The Snowman lurks insidiously in the background and the reader is introduced to several of his victims, the story revolves mainly around three childhood friends (Mattie, Spencer, and Theresa). It is Theresa's decline into ever worsening mental illness that frames the premise of the story. The boys' disastrous attempt to save their friend has horrible consequences for the people around them. Mattie's despair and frustration over his failure seventeen years in the past leads him back to Detroit to reconcile himself. The story is told from his perspective. I believe this is a novel you will not soon forget.
Rating: 
Summary: Do not waste your time.....
Review: I do not understand all of the raves for this book!!! This book clearly had minimal action to it to keep the reader interested. To be honest, the book has 322 pages (hardcover) and I stopped at 301!! I had had enough of this awful novel...I had a very hard time reading as much of it as I did. I found this book to be not only BORING, but I also found it to be a bit contrived and plain out weird!!! I did not feel anything for these characters on these pages...I did not feel the victims or their families plight for what they went through during these times. I do not care if I see another Hirshberg novel on the shelf...if I do, I will run the other way!!!! First book that I believe that I gave a 1 star to...hopefully it will be the last....
Rating:
Summary: Refreshingly original
Review: If you're expecting a serial-killer thriller, you're better off looking elsewhere. THE SNOWMAN'S CHILDREN is more concerned with the impact of the murders on children growing up in Detroit during the time the Oakland County Child Killer prowled the streets in search of his pre-teen victims than with lowbrow titillation. Glen Hirshberg, who grew up in Detroit during the time of the murders, loosely based this novel on Tommy McIntyre's WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING: THE SEARCH FOR A CHILD KILLER.
In this fictional account, the main character Mattie Rhodes returns to Detroit, seventeen years after the murders, in search of his boyhood friend, Theresa Daughrety. During the year the Snowman was on the prowl, Mattie, his friend Spencer Franklin and Theresa went through various traumas, some related some unrelated to the murders. The three are gifted students who compete in Mind Wars, a kind of up tempo Trivial Pursuit, to see who is the sharpest. Theresa usually puts the other two to shame. The game is run by Theresa's father, Dr. Daughrety, who is unduly taken with his daughter's intelligence. On their own, the three play "Murder in the Dark", where one player stalks the other two in a pitch-black basement. The Snowman's depravities are a backdrop to the everyday travails of eleven-year-olds until Theresa, who is showing increasing signs of mental distress, becomes directly involved.
Theresa is the most interesting character of the three; apparently, while the other children have been shaking in their boots, she's been on the trail of the Snowman, despite her emotional shakiness. Mattie worships her, probably because of her seeming indifference to the popularity game most kids worry about.
For comic relief, Glen Hirshberg adds some quirky elements, such as Sergeant Ross's addiction to licorice sticks; Mattie's little brother's apparent hatred for Mattie; Mark "the Bird" Fidrych's pitching exploits, and Mattie's Blue Grass singing wife.
I found it a bit hard to get into the book at first because Hirschberg doesn't tell us a whole lot until well past midpoint and because Hirschberg jumps back and forth from 1994 to 1976. Mattie's reactions to just about everything are also overly emotive. His heart jumps into his throat when his cereal is cold. Hirschberg also loves similes, unfortunately only two out of three hit their mark.
Despite these minor foibles, I highly recommend the book. Hirshberg has talent to burn as is evidenced by the following description of Mattie's teacher who'd been in a traffic accident: "She looked frail, like a china plate someone had broken and glued back together, minus one or two tiny but unnoticeable chips."
Rating:
Summary: Like a LifeTime movie but no Judith Light...
Review: The author has real trouble with the way kids talk -- in this book they're like mini-adults. Granted, they ARE supposed to be gifted but I found myself wincing more than once. The too-helpful librarian also gave me pause and Mattie's mother's heartfelt chat with her "Strange, solitary son" was just awful.
Wait for the paperback.
Rating:
Summary: A Thoughtful Thriller
Review: The Snowman's Children is a serial killer story that isn't about the killer. Nor his victims. As a matter of fact, the killer in the story is just like the remnants of a bad dream that just won't go away. A ghost that is never made whole. Instead, the book is about tragedy, and how it can change a life forever.
Mattie still can't forget the events of his childhood. As the new school year unravels, the entire city will soon be terrorized by the Snowman killer, who abducts young children and then leave them for dead in the snow.
Mattie is trying to trudge along, but when sad turns of events prevents him from seeing his best friend Theresa, he concots a plan with his best friend Spencer to try and get her back. These three friends have a very special bond that is always threaten by Theresa's strange actions and changing personality. These are fully realized characters that are both odd and intriguing in their realism.
The books isn't about those murdered children or the murderer. Instead, it's about childhood, friendship, loyalty and the loss of everything we hold dear. This is a coming of age tale that is often sad, poignant and touching.
Hirshberg writes like someone who has been doing this for all of his life. His prose is beautiful. He often describes things in a way that is visually striking. He writes emotionally, though not in a cheap I-want-your-tears way. Instead, his words are drenched in nostalgia. The plot moves back and forth through time, leaving it to the reader to piece everything back together. Just like the mystery at the heart of this book, the reader has to put it all back together in the end.
Many questions are left unanswered in this literary thriller, and that's fine. Because what Hirshberg has achieved isn't your average thriller. Beautifully written and always profoundly affecting, The Snowman's Children is a very rewarding read that you won't soon forget.
Rating: 
Summary: this new book deserves a read
Review: This novel kept me looking for those spare minutes to read. It is moving, scary overwhelming and too close to home if you have children. Though the events occured in the 70's, we are always concerned for the whereabouts of our children. And do we remember being children ourselves? Many times we do not understand their actions and don't give our loved ones the benefit of the doubt because we are scared, and being a good parent is hard work and luck. This book made me blue,laugh, cry and think. A good book to discuss at a book club.
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