The Miracle of the Myrrh: Controversial Book

The story of the birth of Jesus is well known through out the world. This book "The Miracle of the Myrrh" by Marci Alborghetti is an extended version of what happened to the three gifts that the Wise Men had given to Jesus on the night of his birth. In the beginning of this story, a grandpa is telling the children the story to his grandchildren. After Jesus had been born, Mary and Jesus could tell that the little drummer boy would be a great big brother for Jesus so they made him apart of their family and named him Simon. Jesus and Simon grew up together and one day Simon married a woman named Salome and they had a son whom they named Mendel. Mendel was born crippled and unable to use his legs. Jesus even made him a little cart that he could wheel himself around in as well as others. Mendel was very close with Jesus's mother Mary and would often go to her home to help with chores and anything else she might need. One day during a visit, Mary told Simon and Mendel that she would be leaving soon and that she had a gift for Mendel. She gave him three sakes, one green, one blue, and one red; the three gifts from the Wise Men. Mary told Mendel that is was God's will that he take the gifts and use them. When they arrived back home, Mendel's mother wanted to use the gold for her own selfish needs and Mendel denied her. She became upset and called him an ungrateful son. The next day Mary was gone and while many different rumors went around about what happened, Mendel knew where she really was. They also heard the news that a neighbor Matthius had lost his heard of sheep to the gaurds and needed money. So Mendel and his father Simon took the gift of gold from the three gifts of the Wise Men and gave it to Matthius. The next day the high priest kicked Ana, a good friend of Mary's out of the temple. Without Mary, there was no one left to care of Ana and so Mendel took another one of the gifts to her, the gift of the frankincense. Upon receiving the gift, Ana's eyes filled with hope and she rose to praise God once more. Mendel had a problem, he did not know what to do with the last gift of Myrrh and so he went to Mary's old hut to pray. Before he left her hut that evening, Mendel accidentally dropped the Myrrh and some of it got on to his legs. Suddenly he felt tingling in his legs, he felt his legs. Mendel jumped up and ran home singing praise to God and even his mother cried praise for the miracle of the Myrrh.
This is them first time I have ever heard a book that talks about the three gifts of the Wise Men and what happened to them. While it is a nice story, I do not think it will be really accepted by the Catholic community or any other religion simple because there is no support for it in the Bible or any other scripture. Many might not see this as an acceptable book to read to children because they might take it as fact and not just as a fictional book. I do think it would be something interesting to bring into the classroom to start a discussion and maybe open up young children to different beliefs around Christmas time.
Alborghetti, Marci (2000). The Miracle of the Myrrh. Delray Beach, Fl: Winslow Press.