written and illustrated by carmi cioni

the ABCs of

FLORENCE

this book belongs to:

i

Copyright © 2013 by Carmi Cioni

All Rights Reserved

written and illustrated by carmi cioni

the ABCs of

FLORENCE

for my parents, Tom and Jayne Cioni

thank you for absolutely everything.

A is for the architecture so grand that you will stop

to marvel at the Duomo. Will you climb to the top?

B is for biscotti, a crunchy cookie treat.

C is for coffee. It’s strong but not too sweet.

D is for the David. He guards Florence with his stare.

E is for the easels that hold paintings everywhere.

F is for the fashion that makes the city proud.

Italian men and women are quite a stylish crowd.

G is for gelato, the ice cream you can’t refuse.

So many tasty flavors —which one will you choose?

H is for Historic Football. It’s a Florentine tradition.

Costumes, crowds, and soccer— such vigor and ambition!

I is for inspiring views no matter where you go.

J is for the jewelry shops along the Ponte Vecchio.

K is for the kitchen. The cook’s stove is always hot.

L is for laundry lines. What clothes can you spot?

M is for the mopeds that zip right through the town.

Careful there! Watch your step! Those mopeds don’t slow down!

N is for Nutella, a nutty chocolate spread.

It tastes good with everything, from strawberries to bread!

O is for orange soda. Sip it with your lunch.

O is for orange soda. Sip it with your lunch. P is for panini, a sandwich you can munch!

Q is for the quiet that comes with afternoon siesta.

People nap and shops are closed. The city takes a rest-a.

R is for the River Arno that flows right through the city.

Stop and take a picture — the view is really pretty!

S is for steak, the very best from coast to coast.

T is for tomatoes — on pizza or with toast.

U is for Uffizi, the famous art museum.

Full of master paintings — will you wait to see ’em?

V is for the vendors that fill the marketplace.

Leather, gifts, and food take up every inch of space.

W is for wine, a glass for mom and dad to share.

Tuscan wine is famous. It must be something in the air!

X is for Xmas. La Befana comes on Christmas night.

Y is for the yarn that makes scarves so soft and bright.

And Z is for piazza, because the best part of the day

is to sit back and enjoy—it’s the true Italian way.

the end

the end

Pronunciation Guide

Duomo

Biscotti

Gelato

Ponte Vecchio

Panini

Uffizi

La Befana

Piazza

dwo-mo

bis-cot-tea

gel-ah-toe

Pon-tay Veck-ee-oh

puh-knee-knee

oo-feet-zee

La Bef-ah-na

pea-aht-za

Written and illustrated by Carmi Cioni in the Spring of 2013

Senior Thesis Project for the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Washington University in St. Louis

Special thanks to Jeff Pike, John Hendrix, and DB Dowd