I would add to this list (not that I necessarily concur with this particular list) Harriet the Spy.
It’s a “beloved classic”. But it starts with a note saying “Jesus hates you” and goes on to tell the story of a little girl who has what is essentially a nervous breakdown.
I remember as a kid how that book made me feel rather anxious and uneasy.
I'm sure you mean The Long Secret, also by the same author, Louise Fitzhugh.
That was far and away one of my favorite books. It addresses some pretty heavy themes: what is the nature of God? What does it mean to know God? Why is there injustice in the world? What does it mean to (physically) grow up? What is the nature of love and romance?
And finally: How does one deal with an evil parent? (Our heroine Beth Ellen Hansen wins in the end.)*
Great book, and as an adult I still love it.
SPOILER SPACE
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Yes, in the end we find out the identity of the person leaving the very angry (incisive, passive-aggressive) notes, but it is part of a long-overdue temper tantrum that results in eventual release from an evil and destructive parent, so the initial angry note should be taken in that context, I think.
I guess so. I had forgotten I read the Long Secret.
I still have the same opinion.
As an adult reading about Fitzhugh it is understandable how her books would be uncormfatble in this manner.