why can't the girl read in the beginning of the story?

Liesel has never had an education. Why hasn't Liesel, at ten years old, gotten any education? Well, the answer is a little murky, just like Liesel's past and family history. But, it definitely has to do with Liesel's father's communist affiliations. The German Communist Party (KPD) was a legitimate and popular political party in Germany when Hitler took power. As such, the Nazis saw communists as a threat.

Liesel has never had an education. Why hasn't Liesel, at ten years old, gotten any education? Well, the answer is a little murky, just like Liesel's past and family history. But, it definitely has to do with Liesel's father's communist affiliations. The German Communist Party (KPD) was a legitimate and popular political party in Germany when Hitler took power. As such, the Nazis saw communists as a threat.

http://www.gradesaver.com/the-book-thief/q-and-a/what-happened-to-liesel-in-the-beginning-and-what-did-she-realize-at-the-end-78551/