Super Short Summary

Mama’s Bank Account by Kathryn Forbes, follows the resourceful matriarch "Mama" as she manages her Norwegian immigrant family in early 20th-century San Francisco, narrated by her daughter Katrin. Through episodic stories, we see Mama navigate financial and personal challenges with ingenuity and thrift, creating a stable and loving home despite hardships. Misleading her children with a fictional bank account to reassure them, Mama subtly teaches resilience and sacrifice while forging community ties and fostering her children's education and well-being.