Race Against Time is a children’s book written by Anne Shields and illustrated by Janell Colburn. It features Sherman the balloon and tells of his journey from Times Square across the US, eventually returning to Times Square one year later. When Sherman becomes separated from his friends, he battles the elements of nature to return to them. At the basic level it is a learning story about the months and seasons of the year. At a deeper level, it is a story about determination and willpower. Sherman decides he is in charge of his own fate and finds his way back home.