Visual thinking strategies (VTS) (Yenawine, 2013) and the Whole Book Approach (WBA) (Lambert, 2015) offer tools for for fostering multi-layered reading practices with readers, taking stock of a book's illustrations and design. Visual Thinking Strategies use an inquiry-based teaching strategy to examine and find meaning in visual art. It uses the following questions to invite students to decode diverse material and construction meaning together: What's going on in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that? What else do you notice?

The Whole Book Approach (WBA), developed by Megan Lambert and inspired by VTS, encourages readers and children to consider the art and design of picture books. It creates opportunities for children to talk about how pictures and book design interact with the words to create an artistic whole.