The Miserable Life of Bernie LeBaron

Nothing ever seems to go right for Bernie LeBaron. Behind every silver lining a dark cloud rises—until . . .

Bernie is already a scrawny thirteen-year-old magnet for misfortune. But when his father pawns him off on relatives after his mother dies and he accidentally takes a picture of a man carrying a dead body through the woods, Bernie’s life becomes truly miserable.

Now he must discover who the murderer is while staying out of trouble so that his father doesn’t take him away. Will the fates decide to salvage the miserable life of Bernie LeBaron?

Perfect for fans of Gary D. Schmidt’s Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now, Christopher Paul Curtis’s Bud Not Buddy, Richard Peck’s A Year Down Yonder, and Jack Gantos’s Dead End in Norvelt.

©2017 J.W. Elliot (P)2025 J.W. Elliot

Amazing performance.

Kevin does an amazing job bringing the characters to life in this coming of age story akin to Goosebumps without the horror.

Loved it!

A heart warming story of the hole family. Full of humor and romance and life lessons on difficult questions. Where is the sequel?

Great listen

This is one of the few books that have made me laugh out loud. A great family read.