MtheGM, at what age did you begin to prefer books that were as you described? I ask because you may be remembering a somewhat later age than the one that is appropriate for introducing Where the Wild Things Are to children. Most very young children experience the world differently than older kids. The book speaks very well to the way kids aged 3 to 6 or 7 experience the world. After that age, the experience this book offers might not have much of an effect.

On the other hand, it's possible that you were very cerebral from a very young age. The books that you describe sound very cerebral in nature. I mentioned before that this is a very visceral book. If you don't tend to respond to input that is visceral in nature, you probably won't have much of an experience of the book. Those who do get something out of the book probably just are more prone to having a response to input that is visceral in nature than you.