A consumer's guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it's in play here.

A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here.

By LONNIE WHITE

Sept. 30, 1998 12 AM PT

What: “The Adventures of Roopster Roux: Slammin’ Slime”

Author: Lavelle Lavette

Narrator: Cynthia Cooper

Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company (book and cassette $5.95 each).

Fresh off her second consecutive WNBA MVP season, Cynthia Cooper narrates one of the adventures of Roopster Roux, a children’s character created by Lavelle Lavette, on audiocassette. Cooper, who has led the Houston Comets to consecutive WNBA championships, reads along as Roopster Roux delivers positive messages to children while preparing to play on his junior high school basketball team.

The book , which also sells for $5.95, is filled with colorful drawings of Roopster Roux as he skateboards his way in and out of trouble. Roopster and librarian Mr. Figby thwart the plan of the evil Tegore and his assistant Boris, who try to take over the town with a stinky green slime that puts everybody to sleep.

So far there are four books in the Roopster Roux series and each is available on audiocassette, narrated by a pro basketball player. Joining Cooper are Tammi Reiss of the Utah Starzz, A.C. Green of the Dallas Mavericks and Brent Barry of the Miami Heat.

Because the books emphasize the importance of reading to children, Cooper has donated her time to be part of Roopster Roux’s national book tour. She will sign books next Tuesday at Malik’s Bookstore at Baldwin Hills Mall, 6-8 p.m.