[LM_NET] Can you please help identify this book?

["mcascone@earthlink.net" <mcascone@EARTHLINK.NET>]

My friend who is trying to identify a book that she read with her children.  
She has the following info.:

- Most likely published in the 1970's to early 1980's.
- She believes the author was of Japanese heritage.
- The book is about friendship, getting along and playing together.
- Some lines she remembers are: 
    "Mary, Harry, Larry, [three more names], Spots, Mops, and Peeps." 
    and "Sometimes they quarreled and cried, but most ..."

Does this ring a bell? 
If anyone has a lead on the title and author I would greatly appreciate it.  

Thank you for reading.

Mary Cascone
Graduate Student: Palmer School of Library and Information Science, 
    Long Island University, CW Post Campus (New York)
Email: mcascone@earthlink.net 

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