Punished by David Lubar

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 Mr. Will lift the magical punishment that keeps getting Logan in even more trouble.

Here is a review from 10 year old Ahmed:

Many fun things happen. First of all when a boy named Logan was going to the Library with his friend, Benedict he bumped into a professor in the reference section but this professor had magical powers. So he made Logan talk weirdly splatting out these puns That made every one furious. In addition to that Logan had to solve three cases which are that he had to find 7 oxymorons, 7 palindromes, 7 anagrams and he had a limited time to solve these cases. He worked with his Benedict. They went to many places trying to find all they can. Finally when Logan found all he was assigned the professor made him normal. Now his teacher, parents, friends were all happy. Soon Benedict bumped into the professor again and Logan thought here it goes again. That’s why the book was very exciting.

This is a good Amazon review:

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 is the best book I have read this year, at least until I read The Edge Chronicles.”
– David, age 10

It is a 2008 Maud Hart Lovelace Award Nominated book.