Product Description

Logan and his friend Benedict run into the wrong guy at the library–-literally. When Logan slams into the reference guy in the basement and gives him a little lip, Logan gets punished, really and truly punished. He has three days to complete three tasks before Professor Wordsworth will lift the magical punishment that keeps getting Logan in even more trouble.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #56322 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 96 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781581960631
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-5 Logan knows he shouldn't have been playing tag in the library reference stacks and he's sorry that he crashed into Professor Wordsworth. But what did the strange old man mean when he said that Logan should be punished? Suddenly, the boy starts speaking in puns really awful puns and he can't stop. His family and friends think he's just smarting off, but Logan quickly realizes that he is under a curse. According to the professor, there is only one way to break the spell. Logan has three days to collect seven oxymorons, seven anagrams, and seven palindromes or the pun-ishment will continue forever. This lighthearted fantasy would be an excellent classroom read-aloud. The language concepts are deftly explained and the clever, wordplay-filled dialogue provides numerous examples. There is an emphasis on problem-solving and self-reliance as well. Logan uses the dictionary and experiments with Scrabble™ tiles as he races against the clock to find the required answers. The short text and lively cover art will attract young readers, who will howl at the atrocious puns and repeat them at the earliest opportunity. Be prepared for an epidemic of juvenile punsters. Elaine E. Knight, Lincoln Elementary Schools, IL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 4-7. Wordplay is at the heart of this funny, surreal adventure in which even the title is a pun. While roughhousing at the library with his friend Benedict, Logan literally runs into an elderly patron, who, as a punishment, saddles Logan with an unusual curse: everything he tries to say comes out as a pun. After a day in which even his dog groans at his tedious jokes, Logan is desperate to lift the curse. The cure, according to the elderly spell caster, involves more wordplay: Logan must hunt down examples of oxymorons, anagrams, and palindromes. Younger kids may need help with a few of the more sophisticated puns ("I was jest doing wit you asked"), but with an appealing mix of magic and silliness, Lubar captures Logan's frustrations when he is unjustly accused of disobedience, his urgency to solve his dilemma, and the linguistic fun: "I realized I had two palindromes living at home . . . Mom and Dad." Teachers will find plenty of uses for this. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Publisher
Fun book by award-winning author, David Lubar, will have readers laughing--and learning--about puns, palindromes, oxymorons, and more!

Customer Reviews

Punished is Fabulous!
I'm in the 3rd grade and i just read Punished...wow! it's the best one on my reading record sheet! When Logan goes to the library to study for his research, someone stops him from running in the library and he gets his face puffed up with fairy dust which scrambled his brains. Now, whenever he talks a pun comes out. To cure this evil curse, he must go out and find certain types of words. I like it because everything in the story ties together (if you know what I mean.)

a good book for kids who enjoy wordplay
Punished! tells the story of a boy named Logan who accidently collides with the mysterious Professor Wordsworth in the reference section of the library. After saying he is sorry, Wordsworth states that words are not always enough. Wordsworth decides that Logan needs to be "punished" and blows dust on him from an old book.

Immediately after his encounter with Professor Wordsworth, Logan realizes something is definitely wrong... everyone groans after he talks. Analyzing his speech, Logan now realizes he is speaking in puns. He tracks down Wordsworth a the library and asks how he can undo his "punishment". The professor then sets Logan to three separate tasks. First he has to gather oxymorons, then anagrams, and finally palindromes and bring them back to the professor in time, or Logan can't be cured.

I know of David Lubar from his short story collections In The Land of the Lawn Weenies and The Invasion of the Road Weenies. Those stories are somewhat twisted and mildly creepy, but appeal to a lot of my fourth grade students. Punished! doesn't play up the creepiness found in Lubar's short stories, but has some similar mysterious elements. The novel's action moves along and is quite predictable, but this book would appeal to third through fifth graders who enjoy wordplay. Recommended, but not essential.

Punished reviewed by Holmes
Great service, book arrived promptly, excellent condition. Sunshine State Reader for kids living in Florida.