I was just listening to an interview where Sendak described the premise of OOT, and included some shots of the artwork, so I think I’d be prepared for it. 
I think what creeped me out about ITNK was the Laurel/Hardy style cooks (can never remember which is which), and the way it was narrated on the video. It wasn’t hugely creepifying, but I never did develop a fondness for it.
I do sometimes get Alligators All Around stuck in my head, as sung by Carole King on the same video. 
Oh my god, The Monster At The End Of This Book creeped me right the fuck out as a little kid. Mostly the page that consisted of a pile of bricks with Grover’s hand sticking out of it, I don’t know why that affected me so much but I had to turn that page really fast. I was creepified by weird things as a child, heh.
I agree with those who love this book. It is beautiful poetry that sums up childhood perfectly. I don’t remember reading it myself as a child or having it read to me (I have very few memories of the time before I could read and once I could read, I stopped getting read to. I may have preferred that. I know I have preferred reading to myself for a long time.)
My children all loved Where The Wild Things Are. There was a time when I could recite the story from memory to calm down rowdy toddlers in the car. My oldest son especially related to Max and his Wild Things.
It truly does have to read with expression and feeling. If you read it again carefully and find the emotion of the story, I think you’ll find your dd responding to it better. Show her how angry Max and his mother are with each other. Show how exciting and wild the rumpus is. Show her Max’s confusion and the love of a mother who knows when it’s important to not follow through on a threat.
It’s lovely and true in that way only truly great children’s books can be.