Yes, I remember the infancy gospels that my teacher talked about. There were two infancy gospels, IIRC, one about Mary as a child, and the other about Jesus as a child. Apparently the infancy gospel protrayed child-Jesus as a selfish little boy abusing His powers, zapping people he didn't like.
This is a striking contrast to the Jesus we read in the Bible, where His own family thought that He was a nutcase. If my child could turn people into trees, you bet I'd listen to his claims of his divinity.
The Infancy Gospel of James is here:
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/infancyjames-mrjames.html . It is the "Mary" gospel that <1/1,000,000th spoke about. Basically it focuses almost entirely on Mary's childhood, and protrays her in a very pro-Catholic way that places Mary in a pedestal above every other person in the Bible (besides Jesus, of course). Her birth was divinely announced, and all that.
I don't remember the name of the other infancy gospel, but IIRC, my professor also made fun of it. Here's the translation of the Gospel of Peter I found on Google:
Gospel of Peter
Hope you enjoy the reading! :-)
Aha, found the other Infancy gospel here:
Infancy Gospel of Thomas. I've excerpted the most odd passages below. :-) It was supposed to protray Jesus as a human child, who like all other children, started out immature but matured later on and learned how to use His powers wisely. But, for obvious reasons... to borrow your phrase, this gospel definitely does not ring true to the spirit. :)
III. 1 But the son of Annas the scribe was standing there with Joseph; and he took a branch of a willow and dispersed the waters which Jesus had gathered together. 2 And when Jesus saw what was done, he was wroth and said unto him: O evil, ungodly, and foolish one, what hurt did the pools and the waters do thee? behold, now also thou shalt be withered like a tree, and shalt not bear leaves, neither root, nor fruit. 3 And straightway that lad withered up wholly, but Jesus departed and went unto Joseph's house. But the parents of him that was withered took him up, bewailing his youth, and brought him to Joseph, and accused him 'for that thou hast such a child which doeth such deeds.'
IV. 1 After that again he went through the village, and a child ran and dashed against his shoulder. And Jesus was provoked and said unto him: Thou shalt not finish thy course (lit. go all thy way). And immediately he fell down and died.