The Miserable Life of Bernie LeBaron

1. Have you ever been the victim of bullying? How did you deal with it? Was the way you dealt with it effective?

2. Have you ever had a crush on someone? Did you ever have anything embarrassing happen when you tried to impress that person?

3. Bernie LeBaron is an animal lover. Do you have a favorite animal or a certain aspect of nature that intrigues you?

4. When Bernie first meets Marigold, he thinks of her as “an ugly old witch with an evil, drooling eye.” By the end of the story, he thinks of her quite differently. Have you ever met someone and found that your first impression of them was entirely wrong?

5. In the story, Miss Riley states that “your entire identity is made up of bit and pieces of the past you have stolen to create your sense of self.” Bernie then questions, “Did I even have a choice which part of the past would make me who I was going to be?” What do you think? Do we have a choice?

6. Has someone important in your life ever failed you? Zinnia counsels Bernie to just “let it go” when referring to his hatred and resentment. How important is forgiveness when trying to overcome disappointment, with either ourselves or others, and move on with life?

7. How might dealing with a mental illness or Alzheimer’s affect someone’s ability to view life rationally? Can real people honestly see the world differently without suffering from mental illness or resorting to criminal activity? Could irrational mental worlds be more sane than the “real” world?

8. Has a teacher in your life ever helped you to gain confidence? Was the process always painless? How did you feel about your success?

9. The importance of the family is an overarching theme in this book. Has your family ever embarrassed you? How have they supported you throughout your life?

10. Some of Bernie’s best friends are adults much older than he is. Does friendship have age limits? Should it? Have you ever enjoyed friendship with people much older or younger than yourself? How did it develop and what effect has it had on your life?