Measure words are not restricted to be used on a certain object simply because certain words appear in it or form part of the object.
Though the word "notebook" has the word "book", (书), in it, it is not a book as such but an "article" with which you perform certain tasks with, notably to make written entries.
Thus you don't buy a notebook to read, like a "book", but to do something with it.
An analogy is the word 秘书, (secretary), which has the word 书 in it. You don't call a secretary 一本秘书 simply because the word 书 appears, but 一名秘书
Thus a notebook, 本子, is not functionally treated as a book, but an article for work performance, like any other article. Hence 一个本子