One of the most powerful reading and writing strategies to use is visualizing. I find that students who can visualize what happens in a story, especially when it does not include pictures, tend to have much better reading comprehension than students who do not. They are also better creative and narrative writers because they tend to be more aware of sensory details when experiencing something and transfer it over to their own writing.
Something I like to do is have students take a "mental picture" of me or an area in the classroom. I literally make them pretend they are pressing a camera button and close their eyes. Then I change something and asj them what was different. (Today I had a Promethean Board pen in my hand and I hid it.) They should start transferring this skill to the stories they read. Here are some resources I use to help students improve their visual memory.
Students are given about 30 seconds to a minute to study a picture. Then they are asked to answer questions about it. It helps them pay attention to details! My second and third graders were able to easily use Book #1.
For K-1, I'd use Spot the Differences pictures.
Great visualizing resources website with list of trade books for visualizing
