Ann D. Koffsky set out to satisfy her anger and prove a point by publishing the book Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor. This article explains how Koffsky’s original motivation for her pro-vaccine children’s story was sparked from hearing about fellow Jewish families who claimed religious exemptions from vaccinations, and sent their children to school without receiving vaccinations. Her picture book puts a positive light on the importance of vaccinations for an individual’s health and their peers.

Shortly after Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor was listed on Amazon though, anti-vaccine advocates began a 48-hour campaign writing negative comments, bad ratings, and publishing disproving reviews. Although some may disagree with the necessity of vaccines, scientific studies have shown there are no links between autism and vaccines. The author of the 1998 report, with fewer than two dozen subjects, that proposed a connection between vaccines and autism has since been stripped by Britain of his medical license and charged with scientific fraud.

But even with overwhelming data, the battle still rages between the two groups, and they have adapted to new outlets to spread their messages such as children’s books. Pro-vaccine books such as You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without Vaccinations! and The Shot’s Book: A Little Brother’s Superhero Tale are sold side-by-side with books such as No Vaccines for Me! and Melanie’s Marvelous Measles. This article suggests reading articles posted on journals such as Science or Nature to establish your opinion instead of solely relying on comments and reviews to children’s books or Facebook posts.