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Goodread's quote site, attributes this quote to Maxim Gorky:

“You must write for children the same way you write for adults, only better.”

Did he say or write this (or a Russian equivalent)?

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Most probably not.

Besides Maxim Gorky this phrase is misattributed to S. Marshak and K.Chukovsky (both are famous Soviet children writers).

An answer to a very similar question (Russian text) provides a snippet from the book Цитаты из всемирной литературы от Гомера до наших дней (which translates as "Qutations of World Literature").

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This snippet explains the author of the phrase is the son of Vasily Yan who used it in the preface to his father's 1969 book, Повести.

It explains it is a rephrasing of Stanislavski's phrase:

Для детей нужно играть так же, как для взрослых, но только - лучше

You must play for children the same way you play for adults, only better, more delicate, more cultured, more perfect.

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  • the last quote should be "для детей нужно играть так же, как для взрослых - только лучше"
    – shabunc
    Sep 11, 2017 at 11:38
  • @shabunc Yes. Corrected.
    – Common Guy
    Sep 11, 2017 at 11:42

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