Why was A Token for Children considered a Puritan book for young readers?

A Token for Children (1671), written by James Janeway, is considered a quintessential Puritan book for young readers because it reflects the specific theological and didactic concerns of the Puritan movement following the Restoration.1

The book is characterized as a classic work intended for the "potentially damned child," serving as a tool for religious instruction and moral correction. Its primary purpose was to address the spiritual state of children, emphasizing the necessity of salvation and the urgency of preparing for the afterlife. This focus aligns with the broader Puritan tradition of didactic literature, which viewed the child’s soul as something that required constant improvement and salvation.1

Unlike later literature that prioritized entertainment or childhood innocence, A Token for Children was designed to instill the gravity of religious doctrine, reflecting a worldview where the spiritual welfare of the young was the paramount concern of their upbringing.1