Ann Koffsky isn't a high-profile novelist, even by the standards of picture books for religious Jewish children.

"On Amazon, I'll usually get maybe three or five reviews per book," says Koffsky, whose books are mainly sold at specialty stores for observant Jews or through other networks.

But when her book "Judah Maccabee Goes to the Doctor" first came out, it hit the anti-vaccine radar, and within a day or two she had a dozen one-star screeds, assailing her for being "in the pocket of Big Pharma."

"I'm still waiting for the check from them," said Koffsky, of her alleged patrons.

She alerted her Facebook friends, who countered with numerous five-star reviews, and "it became quite a comments war." She's now up to almost 200 reviews — not exactly the best-seller stratosphere, but a lot for limited-audience picture book for young Orthodox Jewish children.

Koffsky didn't know what to expect on Sunday afternoon at Eichler's of Boro Park, a self-described "Judaica superstore" that sells everything from multi-volume Talmudic commentaries to special pitchers for ritual handwashing. She was positioned close to the entrance, in front of a display of crystal candlesticks for the sabbath, and she admitted to being a little nervous.

"Whenever you put yourself out there, there always can be that one person who comes and yells at you for no particular reason," she said. "So I didn't know if that would happen here. It doesn't look like it will, so that's very fortunate."

Indeed while business was brisk in the store — Sunday is a prime shopping day for observant Jews, who don't shop on Saturdays — a relatively modest trickle of customers drifted over to the table to chat with Koffsky. Several had heard she would be there, and they came to show their support.

"We definitely think vaccinating is important," said Zach Sandman, a second-year medical student who was shopping with his wife and young daughter. "I think most people in the Jewish community do vaccinate, and it's just a small group who don't. Maybe some just need a reminder."

Chaim Halberstam also said he thought the numbers refusing to vaccinate are small — and that he hoped a variety of educational approaches could reduce their ranks further.

"It's not surprising that there is a segment that believes all the doctors and scientists are into some conspiracy. You have people like that all over," said Halberstam, who works in special education. "So we have these people, and we need to try to educate them.'

Koffsky said she didn't have any illusions that her picture book would cause too many epiphanies.

"Do I think anybody is going to read a picture book and say, 'Oh my God, I've seen the light! I shall now vaccinate my children!' Probably not," Koffsky said. "But they're really not the target. The target are people who do choose to vaccinate, to help them strengthen their own decision, and most importantly it's for kids — to tell them what our values are and to tell them why we vaccinate, why we make that choice, and how it is a Jewish value to guard our health."