Alyson Stoner details the highs and lows of their life and career in their newly released memoir, titled Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything, released on Tuesday, August 12. Following a childhood in Ohio, Stoner relocated to California during their early years in the hopes of jumpstarting a lucrative acting career. One super short show later, and they became a Disney Channel staple and Missy Elliot backup dancer. But not every memory is a positive one. "At 7 years old, it didn't register that I was being groomed to be sold. I was no longer a child; I was a commodity," Stoner wrote at one part of the book. "I did as adults instructed me to, and Mom eagerly supported whatever helped me shine. Although auditions were positioned as a creative outlet, they actually had nothing to do with carefree self-expression. My personal interests didn't matter. The real assignment was to please and impress the casting team and beat out the competition." MK Sadler During the early days of their career, Stoner "vowed never to be average" so they would not be forgotten in fast-paced Hollywood. "My strategy for success was foolproof," they wrote. "All I have to do is be perfect at everything and look perfect while doing it." Keep scrolling for the biggest revelations from Stoner's memoir: 'Step Up' Cast: Where Are They Now? Missy Elliot's 'Work It' Music Video Stoner was on set well "past my bedtime" as a child when filming Elliot's 2002 music video for "Work It." "The other kids were experts at creating moves from thin air, but improvisation terrified me. I tried to piece together ideas before my turn," they recalled. "I ran out of ideas. Just impress them! As a last resort, I risked it all and went for the six step and baby freeze, only to fall out of the pose prematurely. I was mortified." However, the music video ended up being a turning point in Stoner's life - and the first time they were recognized in public. They eventually recreated the choreography from the music video at the 2019 MTV VMAs when Elliot was honored with the Video Vanguard Award. Kevin Mazur/WireImage 'Mike's Super Short Show' It was a no-brainer for Stoner to appear on the Disney Channel, their "all-time favorite TV station" as a kid. "Mike's Super Short Show filmed on weekends because minors could be on set longer, circumventing the three hours of mandatory tutoring for school days," Stoner claimed. "My character, Sally, was written as the annoying kid sister. I never knew what wild antics they'd have me doing. ... I made sure to follow directions regardless of how embarrassing the skit was, though I sometimes worried that other kids my age might think I was weird." Being cast as a series regular on the show, which lasted from 2003 to 2007, "shifted" Stoner's mentality. "There was a newfound maturity and stoicism that could only come from taking on adult responsibilities," they wrote. "Unintentionally, Mike's Super Short Show squeezed out the final drops of childhood wonder I had left. Acting wasn't an art; it was a business." 'Cheaper by the Dozen' Stoner had nothing but positive things to say about working alongside Bonnie Hunt in the 2003 film. The legendary actress "emotionally attuned herself to every one" of her onscreen kids, Stoner recalled in the book. 20th Century Fox "Bonnie clarified the sequence of events and my scene objective. Her questions were intentional and nuanced. She focused on me like I was the only human on the planet," they wrote. "For me, Cheaper by the Dozen was an immersive escape." Not So 'Suite Life' Disney kids will recall Stoner's recurring role as Max on The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. They kissed Dylan Sprouse's Zack on the show, but originally, Stoner was also meant to lock lips with Cole Sprouse's Cody as well. "I was under a legal contract, so I had no choice but to rehearse whatever was written in front of a crew of strangers; otherwise I'd be seen as unprofessional," they recalled. "At least they changed it to only one boy before millions of children and parents watched the episode." Alyson Stoner Is the Only 'Camp Rock' Star to Agree to Be in Demi Lovato Doc The 'Step Up' Drama Stoner played Channing Tatum's sister Camille in the first Step Up movie, released in 2006. They remembered the cast as a "chosen family." However, there was some apparent drama between Stoner and costar Adam Sevani when they returned for 2014's Step Up: All In. "My toxically positive mind refused to accept that someone might be knowingly disrespectful," Stoner wrote. "But that was put to the test on the set of Step Up 5: All In, when Adam stopped making eye contact with me." Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection They alleged that Sevani "couldn't pretend to act romantically attracted to me" because Stoner "wasn't beautiful like his previous costar." Issues at Home Stoner spoke candidly about their mom's alcohol struggles throughout the book. They also wrote about their mother being "completely depend