Marci Alborghetti, a 1982 Arts and Sciences graduate of the University and a nationally published writer, is the author of a new book for children, published just in advance of the Christmas season.

The Miracle of the Myrrh extends the story of Simon, the Little Drummer Boy who led the Wise Men to Bethlehem, and creates a new myth about the fate of the gold, frankincense, and myrrh presented to the infant Jesus.

Written in a style suggestive of the oral tradition, the story is illustrated by Hervé Blondon, winner of a gold medal from the Society of Illustrators for his work in The New York Times Magazine and illustrator of a number of French and American children's books.

Alborghetti operates her own writing business in Stonington, Conn., and writes for a variety of journals. When she was a child, her family celebrated Christmas from the first week of December through Three Kings Day, and she wondered what had happened to the gifts brought by the Three Kings. The Miracle of the Myrrh, published by Winslow Press, is her creative answer to the question she posed as a child.