The book of Maccabees is not considered prophetic or inspired, it is more a historical type of book. It mostly discusses the conquest of the Hasmoneians against the Seluced empire and then setting up an independent Jewish state. So Martin Luther, when he set the Protestant canon didn't see reason to include it. He also objected to the book of Revelation calling it the delusions of a mad man, but finally giving in and adding to the collection.
Maccabees is not the only apocryphal writing that is in the Catholic canon (they call them deuterocanonical), there is the books of Enoch (which is quoted in the NT) Sirach, Tobit, Wisdom, Baruch, along with some additions to the book of Daniel and Esther. Most of them are from around the 2nd-3rd century BCE. Although the books are not considered "Inspired" they are valuable in the information they give as to the conditions and the beliefs of the time they were written.
If your interested in reading any of the Gnostic or apochryphal writings you can find them here:
Early Christian writings
Early Jewish Writings
