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Title: Punished (Darby Creek Exceptional Titles)
ISBN: 1581960638
Author:
David Lubar
Publicate Date: 2007-09
Publish: 2007-09
List Price: $4.99
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $1.81
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $2.90
Amazon Merchant Price: $4.99
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Has some merit
Punished! is on a reading list for my daughter, which is why we read it. It is the story of a boy who has had a spell put on him that makes him only talk in puns. To break the spell, he must collect 7 oxymorons, 7 anagrams, and 7 palindromes. The story itself is sort of dry. the characters quite simple. It's a rather short book at 95 small-format pages. I suppose that with being short it can't really have much detail and drama incorporated into it.
The real merit of Punished! though is how it teaches and gives examples of oxymorons, anagrams, and palindromes. If a student was learning these literary terms this book would be a fun read and a way to help them learn those terms. It's certainly more fun than just reading a boring old list of words or phrases. The reluctant readers out there will appreciate the brevity of the book as well as identify with the main character who, while cursed with saying puns, gets into trouble at school and at home.
My final take: good to borrow from the library. I can't imagine reading it more than once.
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2: More than essential...great stuff for reluctant readers
This book is wildly popular with all kinds of kids. It's already on more than 10 state award lists. Punished! a critical addition to any 3rd or 4th grade language arts program. What better way for kids to learn about wordplay and have fun at the same time? They won't forget, even into their high school years, what oxymorons, anagrams, and palindromes are. Hurray for Lubar!
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3: 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.
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4: 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.)
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5: Punished
Is a good read for my daughter. She has read it several times and still won't let anybody else have it!
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