З is for zontik

This letter sounds like an English Z. In handwriting, it looks like Зз (much like a Z!).

Zontik (зонтик) is an umbrella!

Ж is for Zhar-ptitsa

This interesting-looking letter has no analog in English. It is pronounced like the "s" in "measure" or "pleasure" and transliterated as "zh." In handwriting, Жж looks like Жж.

Жар-птица (Zhar-ptitsa) is the name of a traditional being in Russian folklore known in English as the Firebird. You may be familiar with one of the legends of the Firebird from Igor Stravinsky's ballet. An adventurous prince encounters the creature while journeying in a magical realm and is given help in his quests in exchange for freeing the Firebird.

Ё is for yozh

This letter is sometimes not counted as separate from Ee, but the umlauts (two dots) indicate that it is pronounced "yo." In handwriting, it looks exactly like Ee, but with umlauts.

Ёж (yozh) is, of course, the word for hedgehog! There are several species of hedgehog found in Russia that vary in size, color, and ear length. We all like to eat insects and have spiny backs and most of us dig burrows.

Е is for Eugene Onegin

This vowel is pronounced "yeh" as in "yep" or "yen." When stressed, it sounds more like "yay." In handwriting, Ee looks like the English letter Ee in cursive: Ee.

Евгений Онегин/Eugene (Yevgeny) Onegin (1833) is the most famous work by the foremost of Russian writers, Aleksandr S. Pushkin. It is a "novel in verse" that tells the story of the titular bored and callow dandy and the quiet Tatyana who loves him ill-fatedly.

Д is for Dostoevsky

This letter is equivalent to the English Dd, although before some letters, it is pronounced more like a Tt. (Like with Вв and Гг, this is something to remember for later). Дд in handwriting can vary: it may resemble this: Дд or the small one may be made like the English little "g" in cursive.

Фёдор Михайлович Достоевский/Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky (1821-1881) was one of the great Russian authors of the nineteenth century. He is remembered particularly for his suspenseful, brooding novels, including Crime and Punishment and The Brothers Karamazov.

Г is for gribi

This letter is equivalent to the English "G." (It is also the same as the uppercase Greek gamma!) The little one looks the same, except in handwriting, where Гг is made like Гг. Note: at the end of a word (and after some letters - like with Вв this is beyond the basics for now), it is pronounced more like a "k."

And грибы (gribi) are mushrooms! Not all of them are good to eat...