The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartoletti is about a young man that grew up during the early days of Hitler's regime. He was living in Germany when Hitler's socialist philosophies had everyone convinced that life could be better. But, it wasn't long until people were being herded into segregated communities and life never did get better. The young man in the story is real and his family tells his story of standing up for what he believed in and facing the consequences.
Another story that I recently read is historical fiction. In Rebels by Accident by Patricia Dunn the characters get caught up in the rebellion in Egypt that led to the overthrow of a government. While the story is about an American who is struggling with her identity as an Egyptian, we see the movement of the young people in Egypt to rally against oppression.
Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers tells the story of a group of national heroes. It's important to remember those who have represented our country and been willing to give their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy.
Two other books that you might find of interest when thinking about heroes include; Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith and Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper. Flygirl is about a female flyer in WWII, and Ghost Hawk is about a young Indian boy who builds a friendship with a settler and the dangers that they face together.