It’s So Difficult

Written and illustrated by Raúl Nieto Guridi
Translated by Lawrence Schimel

A school day can be so overwhelming: so many people, so many noises, so many things to remember. Grown-ups say it’ll get easier with time, but even saying hello is incredibly hard. Thank goodness for comforts like math, for anything that can relax a restless mind. Maybe this time a few words will come out at last…

An empathetic look at anxiety and overstimulation, It’s So Difficult follows a child throughout the challenging routines of a single day. Even the smallest step forward can be an enormous triumph. 

When I leave the house, everything is so difficult for me.
I feel a prickling that won’t go away,
and every step I take is a triumph.

I prefer to distract myself by looking at every shape,
every color of the city.
But what if people say something to me?

It’s so difficult to concentrate