Late 50’s early 60’s space fiction about a boy on a planet (possibly mars) with his pet. The boy needs to get to different city/friends home. Walks via an old highway but the temperature dips extremely, causing the boy to find refuge in a giant cabbage like plant that closes at night, saving him.
Read this from the 5th grade 1961/62 Ellis Elementary School library in Sunnyvale California.
Red Planet, by Robert Heinlein. Definitely has the taking shelter in a Martian cabbage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Planet_(novel)
Robert A. Heinlein’s RED PLANET, a 1949 classic juvenile. Heinlein was very proud of the cabbage, too!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Planet_(novel)#Plot_summary
I agree, Red Planet by Robert Heinlein, the pet, the journey, the cabbage like plant. He was making the walk with a friend though.